ONLINE EVENT: After the Vote—What’s Next for Mexico’s Judiciary?
Registration
8:30 AM – 9:30 AM ET
Panel 1: The Border from the Congressional Perspective
9:15 PM – 10:00 AM ET
Panel 2: The Border from the Private Sector Perspective
10:15 PM – 10:55 AM ET
Panel 3: Tit for Tat: The New Realities of Border Enforcement and Trade Policy
11:10 PM – 12:00 PM ET
Panel 4: The Impact of AI and Emerging Tech on Cross-Border Trade: Possibilities and Pitfalls
12:00 PM – 12:40 PM ET
Keynote Address and Lunch
12:45 PM – 1:15 PM ET
Panel 5: Transboundary Resource Sharing
1:15 PM – 2:15 PM ET
Please RSVP to receive information about this event
As the United States and Mexico navigate an increasingly complex bilateral agenda—ranging from trade policy and energy transition to migration enforcement and digital innovation—the U.S.-Mexico border remains a critical space for policy coordination, security, and economic development.
Now in its 11th year, the Building a Competitive U.S.-Mexico Border Conference is a high-level, multi-stakeholder forum that brings together legislators, business leaders, policy experts, and civil society actors to shape a forward-looking, cooperative agenda for the region.
This year’s conference will explore the future of cross-border trade and infrastructure, the growing link between migration and security strategies, new dynamics in resource sharing, and the transformative role of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. Featuring a diverse lineup of speakers from both sides of the border—including members of Congress and private sector executives—this event will offer actionable insights to strengthen North America’s competitiveness and resilience.
This event will be held in-person at the Inter-American Dialogue on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 2:30 PM ET.
Follow this event on X at @MexicoProgram and @The_Dialogue.
Event Co-Organizer
Event Sponsors
9:00 AM – 9:15 AM |
OPENING REMARKS |
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Lila Abed, Director, Mexico Program , Inter-American Dialogue (@lilaabed) |
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Carla A. Hills, Chair Emeritus, Inter-American Dialogue |
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Britton Mullen, President, Border Trade Alliance |
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9:15 AM – 10:00 AM |
PANEL 1: THE BORDER FROM THE CONGRESSIONAL PERSPECTIVE |
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Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28) (@RepCuellar) |
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Congressman Greg Stanton (D-AZ-4) (@gregstantonaz) |
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Moderator Hector J. Cerna, President and CEO, International Bank of Commerce – Eagle Pass, Texas |
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10:15 AM – 10:55 AM |
PANEL 2: THE BORDER FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR PERSPECTIVE |
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| Skip Hulett, Chief Legal Officer, NatureSweet | |||
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Alma Caballero, Managing Director, Mexico, McLarty Associates (@caballero_alma) |
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Margaret Myers, Senior Advisor, Asia and Latin America Program, The Dialogue (@MyersMargaret) |
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Tanya Skilton, Executive Director of Global Purchasing and Supply Chain, General Motors (@TanyaSkilton) |
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| Gonzalo Escribano, Head of Public Policy and Smartshoring, BBVA, México | |||
| Moderator |
Edgar Guillaumin, Vicepresident of Public Affairs US, Constellation Brands |
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10:55 AM – 11:10 AM |
COFFEE BREAK |
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11:10 AM – 12:00 AM |
PANEL 3: TIT FOR TAT: THE NEW REALITIES OF BORDER ENFORCEMENT AND TRADE POLICY |
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| Sergio Gómez Lora, Director, Mexico’s Business Coordinating Council in Washington D.C. | |||
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Carlos Martinez, President, Association of Logistics & Forwarding Agents, Inc (ALFA) |
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Doris Meissner, Senior Fellow and Director, U.S. Immigration Policy Program, Migration Policy Institute |
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Iñigo Guevara, Managing Director, Janes |
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Gilberto Garcia-Vazquez, Non-Resident Senior Fellow, Inter-American Dialogue (@GilbertoGarciaV) |
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Moderator |
Ambassador Earl Anthony Wayne, Co-Chair of the Mexico Program at The Dialogue, Former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico |
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12:00 PM – 12:40 PM |
PANEL 4: THE IMPACT OF AI AND EMERGING TECH ON CROSS-BORDER TRADE: POSSIBILITIES AND PITFALLS |
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Scott Friedman, VP, Government Affairs, Altana Technologies | ||
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Juan Mauricio Mora, Managing Partner, InStrag (@JMauricioMora) |
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Kellee Wicker, Former Director of Science and Technology Innovation Program, Wilson Center (@kelleewicker) |
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Moderator |
Aldrin Ballesteros, Managing Partner, BM Group |
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12:45 PM – 1:15 PM |
LUNCH |
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1:15 PM – 2:15 PM |
PANEL 5: TRANSBOUNDARY RESOURCE SHARING |
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Rosario Sánchez, Senior Research Scientist, Texas Water Resources Institute (@PhDRosarioSF) |
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Marcos Moreno Baez, Consul General of Mexico in Nogales |
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David Goldwyn, President, Goldwyn Global Strategies, LLC |
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Richard M. Sanders, Senior Fellow, Western Hemisphere, Center for the National Interest | ||
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Moderator |
Kenia Zamarripa, Vice President, International and Public Affairs, San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce (@KeniaZamarripaV) |
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2:15 PM – 2:30 PM |
CLOSING REMARKS | ||
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Lila Abed, Director, Mexico Program, Inter-American Dialogue (@lilaabed) |
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Britton Mullen, President, Border Trade Alliance |
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In 2025, the U.S.-Mexico border remains shaped by post-election dynamics, a new Congress, and shifting bilateral priorities. Panelists will explore how Capitol Hill addresses key issues such as funding for border modernization, immigration reform, and the future of binational trade frameworks like the USMCA. Special attention will be given to Congressional approaches to fentanyl trafficking, migrant flows, and critical infrastructure upgrades, including improvements at ports of entry and investments in border technology. Speakers may also reflect on state-level initiatives shaping or challenging federal border policy.
The conversation will provide a unique, high-level window into the bipartisan possibilities for improving U.S.-Mexico border dynamics—emphasizing cross-party collaboration as a foundation for sustainable and inclusive border governance.
POSSIBILITIES AND PITFALLS IN NORTH AMERICAN DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
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