U.S.-Mexico border, security cooperation & state elections – Weekly News Summary: May 17

The Mexico Institute’s “Weekly News Summary,” released every Friday afternoon summarizes the week’s most prominent Mexico headlines published in the English-language press, as well as the most engaging opinion pieces by Mexican columnists.

What the English-language press had to say…

A bipartisan immigration reform bill survived another week under review by the Senate Judiciary Committee [see this useful graphic by The Washington Post containing rulings to key amendments to the bill]. A  Los Angeles Times editorial pointed out that as baby boomers retire and U.S. birthrates continue to decline, immigrants will be needed to fill labor gaps. A different article in the same paper questioned whether or not a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants would lead to an increase of the unauthorized population similar to the increase that followed the IRCA legalization of 1986.

VOXXI, a news website, argued that while border security should be a factor in the immigration reform debate, improving the efficiency of cross-border flows would provide a huge economic boost to both countries. The New York Times, meanwhile, highlighted San Diego Mayor Bob Filner’s efforts to reach out to his counterpart in Tijuana and address border inefficiencies.

The Cost of Immigration Reform / Pacto por México Comes Back – Weekly News Summary: May 10

The Mexico Institute’s “Weekly News Summary,” released every Friday afternoon summarizes the week’s most prominent Mexico headlines published in the English-language press, as well as the most engaging opinion pieces by Mexican columnists.

What the English-language press had to say…

The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank made headlines following their release of a study claiming immigration reform would cost taxpayers $6.3 trillion over 50 years. Liberal and conservative critics spoke out against the study, and one of its authors became entangled in racism accusations. In an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal, Kimberley Strassel argued the Republican Party is actually quite unified in its support of immigration reform, which makes a repeat of the failed reform efforts of 2007 unlikely. On Thursday, the bill survived its first day under review by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Obama Visits Mexico – Weekly News Summary: May 3rd

The Mexico Institute’s “Weekly News Summary,” released every Friday afternoon summarizes the week’s most prominent Mexico headlines published in the English-language press, as well as the most engaging opinion pieces by Mexican columnists.

What the English-language press had to say…

This week, President Obama met with Mexico’s Enrique Peña Nieto. During his visit Obama sought to recast the U.S.-Mexico bilateral relationship in terms of economic and not just security, cooperation. He called for an end to “old stereotypes” and a need “to recognize new realities.” In an op-ed for Fox News Latino, former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Antonio Garza argued the time is ripe to advance bilateral relations in terms of security, migration and trade.

Years of “unprecedented closeness” and security cooperation between U.S. and Mexican intelligence agencies were said to be in jeopardy. The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, TIME Magazine and The Washington Post all commented on the current Mexican government’s decision to curb American involvement in the war against violent drug cartels.

Two recently conducted surveys – one prepared by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and the Woodrow Wilson Center; the other by the Pew Research Center – presented interesting results regarding American attitudes towards Mexico and Mexican views towards Americans.

The Peña Nieto administration’s reformist agenda enjoyed yet another victory when a bill to reform Mexico’s tightly controlled telecommunications sector won final approval in the Mexican Congress. Despite this, however, Reuters reported on the growing tensions within the Pacto por México, and said further cooperation between the three main political parties would likely be put on hold until a vote-buying scandal is resolved. Meanwhile, The Christian Science Monitor reported on the joint bid by San Diego and Tijuana to hold the first U.S.-Mexico cross-border Olympic games in 2024.

Teachers, Students & Protests – Weekly News Summary: April 26

The Mexico Institute’s “Weekly News Summary,” released every Friday afternoon summarizes the week’s most prominent Mexico headlines published in the English-language press, as well as the most engaging opinion pieces by Mexican columnists.

What the English-language press had to say…

The much lauded Pacto por México was put to the test following the release of an audio recording in which PRI officials are heard discussing how to benefit electorally from a government anti-poverty program. The Los Angeles Times called it “the most serious political crisis of [Peña Nieto’s] young government.” Plans to announce a new reform to Mexico’s banks were postponed as Secretary of the Interior Miguel Ángel Osorio Chong convened an emergency meeting with party leaders.

A small group of masked individuals seized the rectory building inside UNAM’s campus in Mexico City, protesting the expulsion weeks earlier of five students from one of the university’s preparatory high schools who were accused of vandalism. Meanwhile, members of the teachers’ union in Guerrero attacked the local offices of the four major political parties, setting the office of the ruling party, the PRI, on fire. The states of Oaxaca and Michoacán also experienced unrest.

Weekly News Summary: April 19

The Mexico Institute’s “Weekly News Summary,” released every Friday afternoon summarizes the week’s most prominent Mexico headlines published in the English-language press, as well as the most engaging opinion pieces by Mexican columnists.

What the English-language press had to say…

An 844-page Senate immigration bill was finally released this Tuesday. A New York Times editorial voiced concerns that the “fixation” with border security could endanger the bill’s “heart and soul:” a path to citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants. Jason Marczak, in an op-ed for CNN said comprehensive immigration reform, by facilitating labor movement between the United States and Mexico, would increase regional competitiveness. Two additional op-eds – one by Roberto Suro and Jorge Castañeda, the other by Luis Rubio – argued for greater involvement by the Mexican government in the immigration reform debate. The Atlantic ran a piece on Mexico’s changing economic and demographic profile, concluding that it is unlikely that a path to citizenship would lead to a flood of new immigrants from Mexico.

Weekly News Summary: April 12th

The Mexico Institute’s “Weekly News Summary,” released every Friday afternoon summarizes the week’s most prominent Mexico headlines published in the English-language press, as well as the most engaging opinion pieces by Mexican columnists.

What the English-language press had to say…

Last Friday, some 2,000 teachers protesting the education reforms proposed by the Peña Nieto administration blocked the highway between Mexico City and Acapulco for several hours. Federal policemen forced them off the roads, but future clashes are likely. Mexican officials announced homicide rates are down about 14% compared to the same period last year. Media outlets including the Los Angeles Times remained highly skeptical of such claims, and directed attention to the growing vigilante crisis affecting parts of the country, as well as the violence suffered by journalists covering organized crime.

Optimistic news pieces, however, continued to surface. Real Clear Politics referred to Mexico as a “stable, politically diverse neighbor.” American University’s Center for Latin American and Latino Studies remarked that while “Brazil was everyone’s favorite two years ago, Mexico is now being hailed as a hot performer.” And in an article for The New York Times, Eduardo Porter argued Mexico’s austerity experience following the 1982 financial crisis holds lessons for struggling European nations today.

On Wednesday, thousands of people gathered outside the U.S. Capitol and across the United States in support of immigration reform. A bipartisan bill led by eight senators – which Politico reports may be released next Tuesday – will define ‘border security’ as “100% awareness of when people cross the most trafficked sections of the Southwest border,” as well as the ability to stop 90% of unauthorized traffic. In an op-ed for The Dallas Morning News, the Mexico Institute’s Christopher Wilson argued that more attention should be placed on the “staffing, infrastructure and technology needs of ports of entry themselves” in order to secure the border and enhance America’s economic competitiveness. A conservative think-tank released a study arguing immigration reform would boost economic growth and reduce the federal deficit.

Weekly News Summary: April 5th

The Mexico Institute’s “Weekly News Summary,” released every Friday afternoon summarizes the week’s most prominent Mexico headlines published in the English-language press, as well as the most engaging opinion pieces by Mexican columnists.

What the English-language press had to say…

This week, The Economist congratulated President Enrique Peña Nieto for a promising first four months in office, but warned that he will ultimately be judged on the implementation, and not just legislation, of his reformist agenda. The Associated Press reported Mexican drug cartels have agents working deep within the United States. The AP also made headlines following its announcement that it would drop the term “illegal immigrant” from its stylebook, choosing instead to refer to “people living in the country illegally” or who “entered the country without permission.”

A UNICEF/CONEVAL report concluded that the majority of Mexican children – 53.8% – live in poverty. Media outlets also reported that Mexican wages are now cheaper than China’s, and that remittances to Mexico in February dropped 11% compared to the same month last year.

U.S. immigration reform efforts continued to move forward, with business and labor agreeing on an increase in visas for temporary workers. In an op-ed for the Los Angeles Times, Andrew Selee argued that the deterrent effect of increased border enforcement, coupled with Mexico’s well-performing economy and changing demographic profile, will likely mean that the majority of future illegal immigration flows will come from places other than Mexico. A piece by The New York Times echoed this sentiment, pointing out that changing economic and demographic conditions in both the U.S. and Mexico make it unlikely that a path to citizenship would lead to a massive influx of undocumented immigrants.

Weekly News Summary: March 29th

The Mexico Institute’s “Weekly News Summary,” released every Friday afternoon summarizes the week’s most prominent Mexico headlines published in the English-language press, as well as the most engaging opinion pieces by Mexican columnists.

What the English-language press had to say…

This week, a piece by The New York Times highlighted how President Enrique Peña Nieto has successfully tapped Mexicans’ discontent – regarding phone service, TV offerings and education – to press for reform. His administration, reports the Financial Times, has also been working hard to shift the discourse away from drug violence and towards economic opportunity. An editorial in The Christian Science Monitor praised the Pacto por México, and even suggested it could serve as a model to end political gridlock in Washington. Mexican Foreign Minister José Antonio Meade said Mexico would be interested in joining a NAFTA-EU trade agreement. President Barrack Obama announced plans to visit Mexico in early May.

Weekly News Summary: March 22nd

The Mexico Institute’s “Weekly News Summary,” released every Friday afternoon summarizes the week’s most prominent Mexico headlines published in the English-language press, as well as the most engaging opinion pieces by Mexican columnists.

What the English-language press had to say…

This week, the recent optimism surrounding the Mexican economy met with a healthy dose of skepticism. Fortune reported that while everyone should welcome the Mexican government’s attempts to reform the telecommunications sector (a bill was approved by the lower house of Congress early Friday morning), other areas – glass, cement, flour, soft drinks, tortilla flour, energy and electricity – could also benefit from increased competition. Newspapers in the U.K. and Spain celebrated the reformist agenda furthered by Enrique Peña Nieto under the auspices of the Pacto por México, but pointed out that many Mexicans are still wary of the PRI’s return to power. Tourism to Mexico, with the exception of Acapulco, fared relatively well during the spring break season, though tourism officials warned the country could lose its spot as one of the world’s top 10 tourist destinations this year.

In the United States, the Republican Party continued to embrace immigration reform efforts, prompted by the release on Monday of a Republican National Committee report urging party members to reach out to Hispanics, women, and young voters. The change in rhetoric represents a shift for many Republican lawmakers. Tea Party favorite Senator Rand Paul suggested his support of a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. According to one poll, 63% of Americans agree with him. Reports surfaced that a proposal devised by a bipartisan group of eight senators would establish a 13-year waiting period for eligible immigrants to acquire citizenship, matching President Obama’s own plan. Another poll predicted 32% of Latinos would consider voting Republican if comprehensive immigration reform succeeds.

Weekly News Summary: March 15th

The Mexico Institute’s “Weekly News Summary,” released every Friday afternoon summarizes the week’s most prominent Mexico headlines published in the English-language press, as well as the most engaging opinion pieces by Mexican columnists.

What the English-language press had to say…

On Monday, President Enrique Peña Nieto furthered his legislative agenda by unveiling plans to reform Mexico’s telecommunications and television sectors. The reforms, he introduced, “represent challenges for the businesses of this sector, but they also open new opportunities.” Televisa, led by Emilio Azcárraga, and América Móvil, owned by Carlos Slim, the world’s richest man, both issued statements welcoming the proposals. Reuters reported that while the reforms may significantly reduce both companies’ revenue, they may also represent an opportunity for Slim and Azcárraga “to make inroads into each other’s territory.”

The Financial Times was impressed with Peña Nieto’s boldness, pointing out that in his first 100 days as president, “he has taken on the rich and powerful in ways that seemed impossible less than a year ago.” The Economist, meanwhile, warned that if Peña Nieto’s reforms succeed, opposition parties may have a hard time gaining voters’ support in the 2018 presidential elections. Analysts highlighted the growing importance of the Pacto por México in advancing Peña Nieto’s legislative agenda, and anticipated tax and energy reforms are next on the list.