ARIZONA & MEXICO

Report of the
108th ARIZONA TOWN HALL
“Arizona & Mexico”
Casino Del Sol Resort, Tucson, Arizona
April 24-27, 2016
INTRODUCTION
The participants of Arizona Town Hall believe there is a compelling opportunity to create unprecedented
prosperity for all people in the Arizona-Sonora region. By capturing and marketing the unique
geographic, business, and demographic advantages of the region as a world-class center of international
trade and commerce. The time to act on this opportunity is now.
The bi-national relationship between Arizona and Mexico is founded on shared histories, cultures and
values, languages, natural resources, and economic interconnections. Our geographical proximity to
the border and to one another has allowed the establishment of individual, business, and governmental
relationships that have evolved over time, with substantial recent growth in our economic ties through
policies, trade, infrastructure investment, and demographic trends. The border does not divide Arizona
and Mexico, it connects us and should be viewed as a bi-national region.
Despite the long history of engagement between Arizona and Mexico, this is the first Town Hall focused
specifically on strengthening partnerships between Arizona and Mexico. Participants of the 108th
Arizona Town Hall traveled from throughout Arizona and neighboring states in Mexico to convene in
Tucson for four days and discuss how to best strengthen and grow the economic ties between Arizona
and Mexico for mutual benefit.
The 108th Arizona Town Hall invited a robust, respectful policy discussion. Sometimes, this discussion
touched on polarizing political issues, including U.S. immigration policy and foreign policy as they affect
Arizona and Mexico. But the Arizona-Mexico relationship is much more than these things. It is more
deeply ingrained, more multifaceted, more integral and more inexorable than our national political
discourse usually admits. For Arizona, our economic relationship with Mexico will help shape our State’s
future, and the 108th Arizona Town Hall urges everyone in Arizona, regardless of their political beliefs, to
give this topic careful strategic consideration.
We hope the recommendations of this 108th Arizona Town Hall will inspire our state, and our neighbors
in Mexico, to pursue increased collaboration and share greater economic growth on both sides of the
border. The results of the discussions at the 108th Arizona Town Hall are included in this report. Though
not all Town Hall participants agree with each of the conclusions and recommendations, this report
reflects the overall consensus reached at the 108th Arizona Town Hall.
FACTORS SHAPING ARIZONA AND MEXICO’S ECONOMIC RELATIONSHIP
The Mexico-Arizona relationship transcends geography. These two places share history and culture. Until
the mid-1800s, Arizona was part of Mexico. Arizona’s border region gives the state a distinct identity,
and a special cultural environment. Historically, the two border neighbors have created significant
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