Border Photo Comparison Worksheet

Based on the two photos you have seen on an Arizona-Mexico border crossing,answer the following questions:

1. What changes to you see?

2. What do you think caused these changes?

3. How do you think the border will change in the future?

Border Security Changes Worksheet

Based on the power point of Arizona-Mexico border security, answer the followingquestions:

4. What changes to you see?

5. What do you think caused these changes?

6. How do you think the border will change in the future?

Timeline of US-Mexico Immigration Policies

United StatesDuring the late 1800’s and early1900’s, the United Statesfollowed a policy of laissez faireimmigration concerningMexico. This was due to theneed for migrant agriculturalworkers.

MexicoDuring the late 1800’s and early1900’s, Mexico also followed apolicy of laissez faireimmigration. They saw migrationto the United States as a safetyvalve to political problems intheir country.

During World War I, theUnited States exemptedMexican workers from newlaws that restrictedimmigration from other areasof the world. This set up thefirst guest worker program. Itlast until 1920.

From 1910 to 1920, Mexicodiscouraged migration to theUnited States because theyneeded a work force in their owncountry to help develop ruralareas that had been devastated bythe revolution.

During the 1920’s, the UnitedStates began to placerestrictions on the visaguidelines for entering thecountry. For the first time,Mexican immigrants wereincluded. Mexican immigrationdropped by 75%. During the1930’s, thousands of Mexicanswere deported in what wasknown as the MexicanRepatriation.

During the 1920’s, Mexico beganto require that migrant workersreceive permission to leave thecountry. Angered by US policies,they began a program during the1930’s and early 1940’s to paymigrants to return to Mexico andto receive free land.

In 1942, the United States and Mexico signed animmigration agreement which became known as theBracero Program. Mexican workers could freely enter thecountry and were promised certain rights. Over time,both countries became unhappy with the program and itended in 1964.

In 1965, the United States,for the first time, set alimit on the number ofimmigrants who couldenter from Mexico. USbusinesses who relied oncheap, unskilled laborignored these restrictionsand continued to use bothdocumented andundocumented workers.During the 1970’s and1980’s, spending increasedto halt the tide ofincreasing illegalimmigration.

With the end of the BraceroProgram, Mexico’s governmentadopted a “policy of no policy”concerning migration to theUnited States. Failure of theirown economic policies led thegovernment to believe theywould benefit more from themoney sent home by migrantsto the United States. As a result,Mexico rejected all offers towork on a resolution to theillegal migration issue with theUnited States governmentduring the 1970’s and 1980’s.

In the 1990’s, both the United States and Mexico began tosee the need to work together. The passage of NAFTArequired addressing the issue of both legal and illegalimmigration. As the United States began to expand itsefforts to secure the border with more border patrolagents, lighting, and fences, Mexico formed the GrupoBeta to inform migrants of the dangers of crossing theborder illegally. Discussions were held to address theissues of immigration and how to work together. Just asthings looked to be coming together, September 11, 2001took place.

After 9/11, the United States and Mexicofocused their efforts on border security. TheUnited States worked on fortifying the borderand the flow of arms south. Mexico worked inillegal immigration and the drug trade.

Question: Where do the United States andMexico go from here?

Beginning in 2010,various US states beganto pass their ownimmigration laws inresponse to what theyfelt was the failure of thefederal government tosecure the border.

In response to the newstate legislation in theUnited States, thegovernment of Mexicodeclares the laws will leadto civil rights violations ofHispanic Americans livinglegally and illegally in theUnited States.

Source: Rosenblum, Marc R., “Obstacles and Opportunities For RegionalCooperation: The US-Mexico Case”, Migration Policy Institute, April, 2011