Economic Development vs. Border Fencing

Havice, Elizabeth. “Free trade of labor? The relationship among migration, development and free trade in rural Mexico.” (2006).

This report reviews formal development projects and programs that stage remittances as an explicit source of direct and indirect financing for development in rural Mexico and addresses the sustainability of relying on outward migration as a strategy to fuel local economic growth.

Latapi, Agustin Escobar and Martin, Susan. “Mexico-U.S. Migration Management: A Binational Approach.” (2006).

This report is an up to date assessment Mexico-U.S. migration, which aims to provide an up-to-date assessment of the main characteristics, trends and factors influencing Mexico – U.S. migration. The report also recommends unilateral and bilateral actions that should improve migration management and promote changes in the flows leading to 1) improved regulation and management, and thus a substantial reduction in undocumented flows; and 2) promotion of the interactions between migration and positive economic and social developments in both countries.

Shanghai Poverty Conference: Case Study Summary. “Mexico’s Oportunidades Program.”

This case study analyzes the effectiveness of Oportunidades, Mexico’s principal antipoverty program, which helps poor families in rural and urban communities to invest in human capital - improving the education, health, and nutrition of their children-by providing cash transfers and its effectiveness as a tool to reduce poverty.

Ackleson, Jason. “Achieving ‘Security and Prosperity’: Migration and North American Economic Integration.” Immigration Policy in Focus. (February 2006).

This article discusses current border-enforcement and immigration reform proposals, which are not comprehensive or adequate solution to the issue of undocumented immigrants. The article suggets that without economic integration, additional security measures along the U.S.-Mexico border will not be successful in reducing undocumented migration.

Massey, Douglas S. “Backfire at the Border: Why Enforcement Without Legalization Cannot Stop Illegal Immigration.” Center for Trade Policies. (June 2005).

This article discusses the failure of current immigration policy and suggests that North American integration is necessary to effectively address migration concerns