Border Economics

There have been suggestions that the border be sealed. But Mexico is the United States' third-largest customer, and the United States is Mexico's largest customer. This was the case well before NAFTA, and has nothing to do with treaties and everything to do with economics and geography. Cutting that trade would have catastrophic effects on both sides of the border, and would guarantee the failure of the Mexican state. It isn't going to happen. So long as vast quantities of goods flow across the border, the border cannot be sealed. -- George Friedman, Stratfor Geopolitical Weekly, 5/13/08