Research Library

Federal marijuana legalization is on the horizon — and it’s time for the DEA to get behind the policy changes and move on to fighting more dangerous drugs, writes nonresident fellow Gary Hale.

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador's deference to drug cartels in Mexico reveals that he is not interested in meaningful cooperation on bilateral drug law enforcement, and his administration should be regarded as hostile to U.S. interests, writes nonresident fellow Gary Hale.

With little pushback from the Biden administration, Mexican officials seized an American company’s port facility earlier this month. But history shows Mexico should be wary of engaging in such provocations, writes nonresident fellow Gary Hale.

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador is about to achieve the quiet but full militarization of Mexican society by placing all armed government forces under Defense Secretariat command, writes nonresident fellow Gary Hale. If he is successful, this could lay the groundwork for his possible extended tenure, even if it creates a military junta by subterfuge.

To better reflect the iterative collaboration necessary for scientific progress, the Nobel Prize must expand its recognition to the many contributors of winning discoveries as well as diversify the selection committee, thereby also expanding recognition of the work of underrepresented minorities, argues this Baker Institute Blog post.

This year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry recognizes the development of carbon-based catalysts. S&T Policy research assistant Flora Naylor writes that their discovery emphasizes the value of federal funding in supporting fundamental scientific research.

Mexico's criminal organizations are undoubtedly responsible for the massive caravan of Haitian, Cuban, Central American and South American migrants that arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border last week, writes Gary Hale. Smugglers will take advantage of the chaos, surging multiple shipments of drugs and more migrants into the U.S.

In 1980, the Mariel Boatlift brought not only tens of thousands of political refugees from Cuba to Florida, but a significant number of criminals, leading to soaring murder and crime rates in the U.S. With Mexico now planning the release of potentially thousands of federal prisoners, is history set to repeat itself?

Methane emissions are both "extraordinarily bad" and "easy to fix," so why not address them now? A federal tax of $1,500 per metric ton emitted could curb and counter the impact of U.S. methane emissions, argues this commentary piece.

Scenes of insurrectionists rummaging through offices and computers in the Capitol highlight the urgent need for Congress to up its IT security game. The authors recommend steps to adopt modern IT management and cybersecurity processes that are already used throughout the federal government.