2017 SUMMER | Beyond the Border: U.S.-Mexico Relations

Dole Fellow Christina Luhn

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For many, the U.S.-Mexico border presents a problem, for others, an economic opportunity. An expert in cross-border economic development, Christina Luhn will lead a summer discussion group series exploring the relationship between the U.S. and Mexico with a focus on border security, immigration and trade.

The Value of Bi-National Collaboration
5/24/2017

Because the international border falls under federal jurisdiction, decisions are made far from the border in the respective capitals of Washington, D.C. and Mexico City. Yet these decisions not only impact the borderlands but also the rest of America, including Kansas and other midwestern states. In this discussion, Alfonso Navarro-Bernachi, Mexican Consul General in Kansas City, brings a unique perspective to understanding the value of bi-national collaboration. A distinguished member of Mexico’s Foreign Service, Navarro-Bernachi has served in consulates in several border states including California and Arizona and will share his insights on collaboration from firsthand experience.

Trade and the Border: the Value of NAFTA
5/31/2017

Recent political and economic rhetoric has focused on how globalization and NAFTA have cost many Americans their jobs. What is often missing in these emotionally charged narratives are the many jobs that are created and supported by trade. With Mexico recently becoming the largest export market for Kansas, a repeal of NAFTA could have catastrophic consequences for Kansas economy. In this discussion, Christopher Wilson, Deputy Director of the Mexico Institute at The Wilson Center in Washington, D.C., brings a researcher’s perspective to help sort through trade myth from reality and discuss possible policy solutions to address some of the more glaring issues associated with trade.

Life along the Border: A Separate Reality?
6/21/2017

While there are many positive economic opportunities for bi-national collaboration, this is not the reality for many who struggle with border conditions. This discussion with Andy Carey, executive director of the U.S.-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership, will provide a deeper understanding of this reality and how some of these complex problems are being addressed. Carey brings a breadth of experience in his years working the entire U.S.-Mexico border to grow community philanthropy, leadership and cross-border collaboration in order to increase the human and financial capital needed to address the complex issues facing the region.

Borderlands: Why should Kansans and Midwesterners care about the Border?
6/28/2017

This session is designed to provide a deeper understanding of the U.S.-Mexico border and key issues, with special emphasis on historical context. In this discussion, Raul Rodriguez, Chairman of the Board of the U.S.-Mexico Foundation in New York City and former President of the North American Development Bank, brings his long and distinguished career of working on important bi-national issues to help explain how we got here today and what is special about the U.S.-Mexico border.

Security, Immigration, Trade and the Border
7/11/2017

This session will provide deeper understanding of key issues around border security, trade and immigration. Is the proposed wall realistic and would it achieve what its proponents suggest? Are security, immigration and trade mutually exclusive or can we have all three? In this discussion, Alan Bersin, former U.S. Assistant Secretary for International Affairs, brings his vast federal experience to a discussion about the intersection of security, immigration and trade. Having served in the Obama and the Clinton Administrations, Bersin has learned a great deal about what works, what doesn’t and what might be on the horizon.