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The University of Arizona has been selected to host a one-week seminar for visiting Mexican researchers.

By University Communications
April 7, 2008

The University of Arizona has been selected to host a one-week seminar for visiting Mexican researchers specializing in U.S.-Mexico relations. The seminar – sponsored by the U.S. State Department and organized by the UA – aims to provide the researchers with a detailed perspective on issues facing Arizona and trends along the border.

"We are bringing together the top researchers with the power of influence, expertise and understanding of the U.S.-Mexico border," said Francisco Marmolejo of the UA's Office of Western Hemispheric Programs, the office organizing the seminar. "These researchers can provide one another with concrete perspectives on border initiatives that will be beneficial in the dynamic of the two countries and build collaborative efforts with one another."

The Mexican contingent consists of researchers from universities from as far south as Quintana Roo and Oaxaca and as close to the border as Sinaloa, plus public affairs officials from the American Consulates of Tijuana and Juarez and U.S. Embassy representatives from Mexico.

They will meet with state government officials including state Reps. Pete Rios and Ray Barnes, Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, including representatives from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The group also will meet with representatives from the UA Center of Excellence for Border Security and Immigration along with business leaders, human rights activists and representatives from the Mexican Consulate.

The seminar includes immigration and border security experts from the UA, who, along with invited panelists, will present data on the historical and current issues and trends facing the Arizona-Mexico border region.

The seminar includes a trip to the Nogales Port of Entry facilities and to the Sasabe Port of Entry.

"We are pleased to put together a select group of researchers that represent such a variety of regions in Mexico," said Antonio O. Garza, the U.S. ambassador to Mexico. "The seminar is unique because the interaction among peers will contribute to a better understanding of what is happening in one of the most active borders of the world."

The UA was chosen by the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Mexico for its wealth of experience on issues along the U.S.-Mexico border and for its proximity to the region.