Research Library

Farm labor shortages put pressure on the United States’ food security, the livelihoods of farmers and farmworkers, and the economies and identity of rural communities. In a new Center for the U.S and Mexico research paper, Alejandro Gutiérrez-Li, assistant professor at North Carolina State University, examines the crucial role played by Mexican immigrant farmworkers in putting food on American tables.

Nearshoring is gaining global economic significance, with Mexico poised to capitalize on this trend due to its proximity to the U.S., skilled work force, and other competitive factors. A brief commissioned by the Center for the U.S. and Mexico outlines these advantages and discusses the infrastructural challenges that Mexico must overcome to unlock its nearshoring potential.

Nearshoring offers Mexico a major economic opportunity; however, current policy hindering power expansion, energy transition, and private investment forestalls this prospect. A report by the Center for the U.S. and Mexico on their collaborative workshop series with Tecnológico de Monterrey dissects the power sector’s critical role in nearshoring efforts and offers policy recommendations for a way forward.

Can Texas’ approach to U.S.-Mexico border relations really solve long-standing migration and fentanyl issues? This new brief from the Center for the U.S and Mexico — based on a conversation with R. Gil Kerlikowske, former Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection — examines Gov. Greg Abbott’s strategy, focusing on the deployment of buoys along the Rio Grande and their symbolism.

Once considered a uniquely Japanese art form, anime is globalizing — with China now playing a growing role in its production and consumption. Experts Brandon Zheng and Steven W. Lewis explore this trend and its implications for measuring China’s soft power.

As Mexico faces a potential return to single-party rule, its ability to attract foreign direct investment is diminishing, writes fellow David A. Gantz. In this issue brief, he explores a range of factors contributing to Mexico’s adverse investment climate.

Each year, millions of people migrate within and beyond their own countries because of rising temperatures and weather-related disasters. This new policy brief on climate-induced displacement from the Edward P. Djerejian Center for the Middle East explains the term “climate mobility,” distinguishes between voluntary and forced migration, and explores the challenges and opportunities presented by this reality of our times.

In 2026, the USMCA will undergo an open-ended review that could result in anything from minor changes to significant renegotiations. Nonresident fellow Simon Lester discusses this unprecedented process and argues that the U.S. and Mexico must follow Canada’s lead in starting preparations.

On June 2, Claudia Sheinbaum was elected Mexico’s next president in a landslide win for the ruling leftist Morena party. Tony Payan and Lorena Becerra examine the election results and their political implications in an episode of Baker Briefing.

Hoping to expand trade relations post-Brexit, the U.K. is forming nonbinding memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with individual U.S. states. Fellow David A. Gantz’s report navigates the complex political terrain and economic promises of these MOUs with a focus on the U.K.’s agreements with Texas and Washington.