Troublesome Border

Book excerpt: ÒU.S. residents are largely unaware that Mexicans also view their northern border with concern, and at times even alarm. Border communities, such as Ciudad Ju‡rez and Tijuana, have long been subjected to heavy criticism from Mexico City and other interior areas for their close ties to the United States, a country viewed with apprehension and suspicion by the Mexican citizenry.Ó Oscar Mart’nezÕs words may come as a surprise to those who associate the U.S. southern border with banditry, racial strife, illegal migration, drug smuggling, and official corruptionÑall attributed to Mexico. In Troublesome Border, now revised to reflect the dramatic changes over the last two decades, a distinguished scholar and long-time resident of the border area addresses these and other problems that have caused increasing concern to federal governments on both sides of the border. This second edition of Troublesome Border has been updated and revised to cover dramatic developments since the bookÕs first publication in 1988 that have once again transformed the region in fundamental ways. Martinez includes new information on migration and drugs, including the extraordinary rise of violence traced largely to the rampant illegal drug trade; the devastating effects of U.S. Border Patrol ÒblockadesÓ that have resulted in thousands of deaths; and the impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).