MEXICO-UNITED STATES MIGRATION: SECURITY IMPLICATIONS

Migratory flows from Mexico to United State (US) have increased notably in recent decades. This flow of people is mainly undocumented, generating risks not only to migrants but also to the recipient country. Despite the fact that migration is perceived as a security issue, it is generally the result of economic and labor factors as well as geographic proximity, which are sustained by social networks. Migration represents a security issue for the US, since not only migrants pass through the border but also drug trafficking, arms, human trafficking, and potential terrorists. This dilemma requires bilateral cooperation to regulate migratory flows in order to meet the demands of labor in the US, instead of criminalizing migrants.