Canadian and Mexican observers pay close attention to the hotly contested race for the White House, particularly as Democrats step up attacks on NAFTA.

During his first U.S. visit in office, Mexican President Felipe Calderón stopped in states with large Mexican populations. The leader urged investment in his country to boost job growth.

The Hispanic vote will play a progressively larger role in U.S. elections, says Deputy Director Susan Minushkin of the Pew Hispanic Center in an AS/COA Online interview. She also says Mexicans, who always take interest in U.S. elections, are “particularly intrigued” this year.

As U.S. voters hit the polls in 24 primaries on February 5, the Hispanic vote played a crucial role, particularly in delegate-heavy California. The Latino electorate helped make John McCain the Republican front runner. Democratic hopeful Hillary Clinton has relied on a Hispanic support base, but some see rival Barack Obama making inroads.

The number of immigrants—mostly from Latin America—jumped in southern U.S. states over the past decade and a half. As studies on acculturation rates indicate, southerners' practice of demonizing immigrants because they "refuse to assimilate" can contribute to delays in assimilation, explains Elaine C. Lacy of the University of South Carolina at Aiken.

While illegal immigration draws attention in U.S. public debate, smuggling of arms into Mexico fails to gain the same notice. As the related death toll rises in Mexico, new U.S.-Mexican cooperation hopes to control the illegal weapons flow.

Finding balance between enforcing immigration laws and maintaining a sound, competitive state economy are priorities over the rhetoric clouding the immigration debate, writes Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine.