The current immigration crisis at the US-Mexico border can be traced to long-standing American foreign policy towards Latin America which has been characterized by sanctions, embargoes, trade restrictions, and military interventions. These policies have had a devastating effect on the economies of these countries as well as their citizens who have suffered from poverty, violence, political unrest and instability. Ironically, as a result of these policies, many people in Latin America have chosen to flee their home countries in search of safety and stability in the very country that created the problem, the United States.
It is clear that American foreign policy plays an important role in our current immigration crisis at the southern border—and it is not likely going away anytime soon unless the U.S takes steps to address its root causes directly through diplomatic channels instead of reactionary policies like economic embargoes and military interventions abroad. Moreover, it is important that average citizen from the U.S recognize how their own government actions may affect other nations around the world and strive towards creating more equitable relationships between nations so as not to create unnecessary hardships for innocent civilians who simply wish to make better lives for themselves and their families—something we should all be striving towards regardless of national identity or political affiliation.
