nited States and Mexico. This is limited in scope to a study of the land border between the two countries and not the northern border with Canada or the various seaports along each coast.
             The issue in question is pertinent for various reasons. First, the national security of the United States and of Mexico, especially in the post 9/11 era, rests on those states' ability to screen and identify would-be terrorists before they enter each country, in order to prevent another catastrophic terrorist attack. National security and territorial control must be put first on any viable states' agenda, and the border is the front line in these endeavors. Second, both countries have an interest in maintaining free flow of documented trade and people across the border. This includes ensuring that the desired transfer of goods, services and people is facilitated and the undesirable elements are correctly identified and apprehended before crossing into the country. The U.S.-Mexican border is the most heavily traveled border in the world and will continue to grow in economic and political importance in the years to come. Indeed, the economic and political fortunes of both countries, and also those of Canada, are irrevocably tied to the fate of NAFTA and the strength of interstate security and trade on the continent. Also at stake may be the perceived trend toward the integration of the entire American land mass, as negotiations are in the beginning stages for the Free Trade Area of the Americas.
             The U.S.-Mexican border is also the only instance in the world, with the possible exception of a couple European borders, where a superpower is directly bordered by a developing or third-world country. This has led to a host of unique problems, including illegal immigration from Mexicans looking for jobs in the U.S. and the trafficking of illegal drugs and goods. These problems must be solved bilaterally and cannot be effectively curbed without...