Publication
Smart Border Policy For The 21st Century
Immigration White Paper Series
Immigration Policy
Border Management
The United States should manage our borders through investment, innovation, and by helping neighbors build free and prosperous nations.
The conversation around border management in the United States has for too long focused on a narrow definition of border security, rather than viewing the border as a management challenge requiring comprehensive, flexible solutions.
The United States must work in Central America to address the root causes of migration from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, recognizing that we do not need to sacrifice our humanity in the name of security. We must work with Mexico to ensure it takes its own border security seriously. Furthermore, working with our neighbors to improve security across the region is a vital component of any policy to promote prosperity and rule of law in the hemisphere. A safe and secure region will lead to a safer, more secure United States.
Physical barriers are useful and necessary between ports of entry along some portions of the southwest border. However, in many places physical infrastructure is impractical or inefficient. Innovation, like surveillance technology, is an excellent substitute in these areas. Additionally, the United States should upgrade our border infrastructure at ports of entry, increasing both efficiency and security when screening cargo and passengers alike.
We can prevent security threats and uphold the rule of law while continuing to uphold our tradition as a welcoming nation.
The latest
Report · Mar 30, 2026
More than borders: Smart foreign policy to manage migration
Mar 8, 2024
Dallas Morning News: Annunciation House makes the crisis at the border better, not worse
Video · Feb 29, 2024
Nonprofit organizations play a critical role along the U.S.-Mexico border
“It would be really sad to see organizations like [Annunciation House] not able to exist anymore because we know they do such a good part of the welcoming [of migrants]. And they’re an example that we can look to as a group of people that have always worked – no matter who’s in power in the United States, no matter what the immigration policies look like – they find a way to make it work. They find a way to serve people.”
Feb 9, 2024
Immigration Asked & Answered: What’s happening at the U.S.-Mexico border?
The U.S. southern border has been making news headlines the past few weeks. Immigration expert Laura Collins, Director of the Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative, breaks down what you need to know.
Apr 3, 2023
Deadly fire at the U.S.-Mexico border exposes failures of our immigration system
Mar 3, 2023
The United States has a lot to learn from the Borderplex region
In many ways, the Borderplex acutely experiences the hot-button topics that make for partisan rhetoric at the national level: immigration, relations between Mexico and the U.S., and trade.