In their first meeting, President Obama and newly elected President of Mexico Enrique Pena Nieto spoke openly on Tuesday about immigration reform, border security and drug trafficking.
Certainly hot button issues for President Obama as he begins another four year term.
“President Obama brought with him to the meeting today a large number of people from his security team.. that speaks to what the concerns are,"said Lynne Walker, vice president of the Institute of the Americas at UCSD.
Walker believes the Obama administration is hoping Pena Nieto finds a way to curb the drug related violence that has taken the lives of 60 thousand people over the past six years.
"And that would be first and foremost to the benefit of the Mexican people, who have lived under tremendous fear and intimidation over the last six years but it would also be a great news for the United States, because what we want most of all is an economically and politically stable neighbor to the south,” Walker said.
Pena Nieto promised to take action to make his country safer which has in recent years experienced an economic boom.
Walker is certain Pena Nieto wants to continue that trend, and if he and President Obama play their cards right, it could help tackle another major problem.. illegal immigration.
“Immigration is reduced when Mexico creates more jobs because their selling their manufactured products at home.. there’s where the jobs are.. and they sell them to US consumers then fewer people feel the need to emigrate to the United States," Walker said.
President-elect Pena Nieto is now meeting with leaders in Canada, he will then fly to Mexico for his inauguration on Saturday.
