Drug-related violence continues to plague Mexico despite President Calderon’s efforts to stem the violence. Recent U.S. congressional approval of funding to help combat drug and gang violence is the first step in a larger multilateral assistance agreement.

As the U.S. Navy reactivated its Fourth Fleet to manage operations in Latin American waters last week, U.S. officials responded to concerns from regional leaders about the fleet’s purpose. 

We are a hemisphere of immigrants. Over the last five centuries, immigrants have influenced the culture, politics, and economies of North and South America. A visit to Mexico City, Buenos Aires, New York, or Toronto makes clear that, more than any other region of the world, this hemisphere has become a global melting pot. Read the full article in the Summer 2008 issue of Americas Quarterly.

Anti-immigration policies are hurting real people and families and undermining U.S. ideals of justice. They may also be making us less safe from terrorism. Read the entire article in the Summer 2008 issue of Americas Quarterly.

New patterns of Hispanic immigration are changing the U.S. political landscape. Addressing the local backlash will require a more active and progressive private sector. Read the entire article in the Summer 2008 issue of Americas Society.

From California's convoluted history of immigration, a latent consensus may be developing about the importance of immigrants for the economy and strength in diversity. Such a consensus could point the way forward for an improved national policy on immigration. Read the entire article in the Summer 2008 issue of Americas Quarterly.

Blaming NAFTA—and free trade in general—for job losses is misplaced. As the U.S. continues to debate a 15-year-olf trade agreement, other countries are negotiating their own pacts—a fact that should prod the U.S. to not only strengthen NAFTA but also reinforce its commitment to trade expansion. Read the full article in the Summer 2008 issue of Americas Quarterly.