ABSTRACT
CONTENTS Introduction............................................................................................ 350 Homeland Security Response to 9/11 ..................................................... 350 Mexico and Canada Borders ................................................................... 353 Impacts of 9/11 on Crossings at Selected Ports of Entry......................... 354
Pedestrian Crossings....................................................................... 354 Vehicle Crossings ........................................................................... 359 Vehicle Passenger Crossings ........................................................... 363
Analysis ................................................................................................... 363 Change in Crossing Patterns between Ports of Entry ..................... 363
An Economic Perspective in the Southern Border.......................... 369 Social/Health Costs-Southern Border Externalities ...................... 371
Conclusion.............................................................................................. 371 Endnotes ................................................................................................. 373
Introduction This chapter assesses the changes in border crossings along the U.S. border in the nearly five years since the events of 9/11. Heightened border security measures after 9/11 were implemented at the primary ports of entry between the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Did the events of 9/11 change the crossing behavior patterns in border regions due to the federal administrative response and, was the socioeconomic structure and high level of integration permanently disrupted? If changes in crossing patterns did occur, were they responses to the threat of terrorism or behavior changes due to new crossing procedures? In the end, 9/11 impacts may be issues of relative impacts, the result of turbulence measurable at an economic and individual level, but even more profound on the social structure and exchanges-the behavior-that occurs among residents of the region. The study provides an overview of crossings between the United States, Mexico, and Canada, including detailed analysis on pedestrian, vehicle, and vehicle passenger crossings to determine significant exchanges and movement as a result of the imposed terrorist watch strategy, which was implemented at both U.S. land borders.
