Separated by a boundary, but with destinies intertwined

From a distance, the 2,000-mile boundary between the U.S. and Mexico stands as a firm economic, political, and cultural divide. However, mayors of cities situated along this divide hold a contrasting perspective.

“We are a binational community,” remarked Mayor Carlos Peña Ortiz, HKS ’20 of Reynosa, Mexico, which reflects McAllen, Texas, on the opposite side of the Rio Grande. “We share values, we share enterprises, we share faith, we share families, and essentially, we are just separated by a river.”

Recently, three mayors from the borderlands joined a symposium addressing U.S./Mexico relations, organized by the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies. These officials, currently prioritizing the protection of their local economies, discussed immigration, tariffs, and the recent transitions in presidential leadership in both nations. They also highlighted their interdependent fortunes.

“Historically, Brownsville has been greatly influenced by the Mexican peso,” stated Mayor John Cowen Jr., who represents the city of 190,000 at the southernmost part of Texas. “If there is a major devaluation, our local economy simply collapses.”

Moderator Diane Davis, Charles Dyer Norton Professor of Regional Planning and Urbanism at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, initiated the event with questions regarding the changes stemming from federal power transitions. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum took office in October, just three months prior to President Trump returning to the White House in the U.S.

All three mayors reported significant decreases in migrant movements, with the Mexican mayors observing less crime as well. Peña Ortiz estimated a “95 percent” decline in migrant crossings over the previous two months. The second-term mayor was unable to physically attend the event as he had to hurry home due to flash flooding in the area, sending instead a video response to Davis’ inquiries.

“We’ve experienced a very notable decline in most migrant groups,” noted Peña Ortiz, who pointed out the recent appearance of Russian and Ukrainian passports among the migrants. “Our camps were filled for the past eight or nine years, usually hosting around 16,000 to 20,000 migrants, but now we have approximately 700. … And in the last month, we haven’t witnessed many gunfights. Violent crime has decreased considerably.”

The March 28 panel, co-organized by the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard and the Department of the History of Science, revealed differing perspectives on relations with the incoming governments in Mexico City and Washington, D.C.

Mayor Cruz Pérez Cuéllar of Ciudad Juárez, situated across the river from El Paso, Texas, commended the Sheinbaum government for assisting his city of 1.6 million in enhancing shelter capacity ahead of anticipated deportations by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

“For the first time since my birth in Juárez,” he expressed, “I see a federal government that is genuinely concerned about the future.”

Cowen, elected to the nonpartisan role in 2023, observed a starkly different scenario. Over 50,000 migrants from 31 diverse nations went through the city’s entry port during his initial month in office. “We managed that through building relationships with the federal government and our NGOs.”

However, he is now apprehensive about a potential influx given the shifting dynamics of federal funding. He expressed particular concern about the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Shelter and Services Program, which aids local initiatives to accommodate migrants.

“Beyond that specific funding, we are facing reductions in our health programs and our ability to address infectious diseases,” he remarked, mentioning Brownsville’s past encounters with Zika and other mosquito-related ailments. He also highlighted that federal transportation funding is pivotal for the city’s budget.

Concerns over tariffs dominated discussions, with the Mexican mayors wary of detrimental consequences. Peña Ortiz expressed anxiety over what border taxes may signify for future collaboration on various issues, including workforce development and safeguarding water quality.

“Traditionally, we have collaborated through programs like NADBank,” he noted, referring to a program initiated by the U.S. and Mexican governments in 1994 to finance critical environmental initiatives. “But if the U.S. does not engage, what will the long-term implications be for water resources in border communities?”

Investors in Ciudad Juárez are awaiting stabilization in U.S. tariff regulations, stated Pérez Cuéllar, who recently visited Taiwan to strengthen ties with business leaders there. “The significant issue is that major corporations are in a holding pattern,” he remarked. “I speak with them frequently, and they express, ‘We want to continue investing but must pause.’”

On the U.S. side, Cowen recognized tariffs as a “barrier” to new business opportunities. Yet, the city continues to benefit from recent initiatives. A substantial gas liquefaction and export terminal is currently being developed at the Port of Brownsville, projected to be completed by the end of the decade. New SpaceX facilities are also in the pipeline within the region.

“That represents $40 billion in investments” for a city valued at $10 billion, emphasized Cowen, a sixth-generation resident committed to addressing the city’s historically elevated poverty rates. He proudly referenced a recent study from Harvard that ranked Brownsville as the leading U.S. city for enhancement in intergenerational mobility.