Hosted by the Mexico Program at the Inter-American Dialogue

For decades, issues such as trade, migration, and security were often addressed as separate policy domains. Today, those lines have blurred. Economic competitiveness, supply chain resilience, migration management, and public safety are now inextricably linked, making security a central pillar of the U.S.–Mexico relationship and the broader North American agenda.

This panel will examine the extensive and evolving security cooperation between the United States and Mexico to address shared challenges, including transnational organized crime, human smuggling, drug and arms trafficking, border security, illicit trade, fuel theft, cyber threats, and other cross-border risks. It will explore how bilateral collaboration has expanded beyond traditional law enforcement to encompass economic security, infrastructure protection, supply chain resilience, and regional prosperity.

Canada, Mexico, and the United States must work together to strengthen economic security, energy security, citizen security, and national security. At its core, this panel is about understanding security not as a standalone issue, but as the foundation for a more resilient, competitive, and prosperous North America.