Episode 68: The Dream of a Binational Park (Guest: Francisco Cantú, writer, translator, and author)
Judy Ley Allen México Centered
Release Date: 05/13/2022
86: Trump’s Mass Deportation Policy and the US Labor Market (Guest: Chloe East)
Judy Ley Allen México Centered
President Donald Trump has promised to carry out a mass deportation effort that would remove millions of immigrants residing illegally in the United States. Will the massive scale of deportations improve the U.S. economy and deliver greater job prospects for U.S.-born workers, as Trump has claimed? In early March, “” host examined the issue with , an associate professor of economics at the University of Colorado Denver, for the “Conversations on Migration” series, a monthly virtual series hosted by the Baker Institute . East explained why mass deportations don’t...
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85: Mexico’s Artificial Intelligence Future Pt. 2 (Guests: Laura Ripani & Alejandro Dabdoub)
Judy Ley Allen México Centered
On “,” host continued his conversation on the future of artificial intelligence (AI) in Mexico with , Mexico’s country representative at the Inter-American Development Bank, and friend of the podcast . They explored major questions about the future of work as AI advances: What implications does the advent of generative AI have for Mexico’s workforce and the global value chain? How can policymakers leverage AI for economic growth while confronting domestic inequality? And how can Latin America take advantages of disruptions like DeepSeek, the Chinese start-up that caused...
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84: How Will Trump’s Tariffs Impact American Industry and Consumers? (Guests: John Diamond, Steven Lewis & Ken Medlock)
Judy Ley Allen México Centered
In February, “México Centered” host Tony Payan joined three other Baker Institute experts to explore President Donald Trump’s plans to impose tariffs on Mexican, Canadian, and Chinese goods and what they mean for U.S. industries and consumers — as well as our relationships with our largest trading partners. The conversation was moderated by John Diamond, director of the Baker Institute Center for Tax and Budget Policy. This episode was originally recorded in front of a live studio audience on Feb. 6, 2025, for the “” podcast. Follow @BakerInstMexico on , , and . Subscribe...
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83: Mexico’s Artificial Intelligence Future Pt. 1 (Guests: Claudia del Pozo & Alejandro Dabdoub)
Judy Ley Allen México Centered
Mexico was once one of the biggest leaders in artificial intelligence (AI) globally, but progress has since stalled. Now, there’s renewed hope: President Claudia Sheinbaum, who took office in October 2024, has created an Agency for Digital Transformation and Telecommunications (ATDT), and the topic is also receiving attention from the Mexican Congress. However, many questions remain. Will Mexico assign the right resources for advancement in a highly competitive field? Does it have the right team in place? Can it find and manage the right partnerships among universities, the...
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82: Mexico's Budget Proposal for 2025 (Guest: Mariana Campos)
Judy Ley Allen México Centered
On Nov. 15, 2024, the Mexican government released its budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2025, which runs from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31. The government pledged to narrow its fiscal deficit from around 6% in 2024 to around 3% in 2025, and according to the budget proposal, there will be no additional taxes, and the economy will grow between 2% and 3% next year. Within the same proposal, the government dramatically increases social spending, but cuts the budget for government goods and services, such as education, health care, and infrastructure, among other things. Is that realistic? ...
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Episode 81 - Deportations, Tariffs, Fentanyl: What's next for the US MX Relation (Guest: The Honorable Christopher Landau)
Judy Ley Allen México Centered
On the campaign trail, Mexico was very much in Donald Trump’s cross-hairs. Now that he’s set to return to office, his pledges — including mass deportation of undocumented immigrants, a 25% tariff on Mexican goods and services, and a “war on drug cartels” — could indeed become reality. What could these policies look like in practice, and how will they shape the future of the U.S.-Mexico relationship? How might Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico’s president, respond to this hawkish ideological shift in U.S. politics? Here to explore what lies ahead is Christopher...
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Episode 80 - AI and the Binantional Relation (Guests: Chris Bronk and Alejandro Dabdoub)
Judy Ley Allen México Centered
The Center for the United States and Mexico at Rice University’s Baker Institute stays abreast of the many issues affecting the binational relationship–including some issues that are not as intuitive and are often not in the media. One of these is artificial intelligence. To explore what AI can do to the U.S.-Mexico relationship - in academia, security, cybersecurity, and labor - we sat down with , a nonresident fellow at the Baker Institute and an associate professor at the University of Houston, where he directs the graduate cybersecurity program; and , Mexican investor,...
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Episode 79 - Mexico's Judicial Reform (Guests: Javier Martin Reyes and David Gantz)
Judy Ley Allen México Centered
Mexico’s sweeping overhaul of the country’s court system took effect last month, in the final weeks before President López Obrador handed the keys of the National Palace to his mentee and successor, President Claudia Sheinbaum. Mexico is now one of the few countries in the world that elects its judges, including at the Supreme Court level, by popular vote, rather than by appointment. This widely controversial move has led to protests by the federal judiciary, as well as criticism by the United States, Mexico’s top trading partner. What exactly does the overhaul entail, and...
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Episode 78: The USMCA Review and Other Trade Challenges (Guest: C.J. Mahoney)
Judy Ley Allen México Centered
International trade has flourished in recent decades. In the U.S., which is both the world’s largest importer and exporter of goods and services, trade has lowered the costs of everyday goods, raised the living standard, and fueled job growth. But it has also eliminated some jobs, mostly in manufacturing. As a result, support for free trade has declined. Today, American policymakers are embracing industrial policies, which are designed to promote specific sectors, especially manufacturing, in a way not seen since the 1980s. President Biden’s “Buy American” policies are a prime...
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Episode 77: Claudia Sheinbaum and AMLO’s Looming Shadow (Guest: Tony Payan)
Judy Ley Allen México Centered
Late last month, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced a “pause” in relations with the U.S. embassy. These latest tensions between the two countries came after U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar criticized López Obrador’s proposed judicial reforms, which include electing judges by popular vote. Salazar this measure “a major risk to the functioning of Mexico’s democracy.” When Mexican President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, López Obrador’s protégé, takes office on Oct. 1, she will inherit the strained relationship with the U.S. and a host of other challenges...
info_outlineFrancisco Cantú, author of The Line Becomes a River, discusses his recent article for Audubon Magazine where he wrote about a grand dream for an international park encompassing Big Bend on the U.S side and Santa Elena and Maderas del Carmen on the Mexican side. Cantú talks about what he learned during his visit about the different approaches of the two countries when it comes to conservation and the current cooperation that happens across the Rio Grande.
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