Migration conflicts at the U.S.-Mexico border: factors, dynamics, and regulation mechanisms

The subject of the research is migration conflicts at the U.S.-Mexico border. In the article, they are considered as a persistent conflict phenomenon related to socio-economic and political processes in the countries of origin of migrants and in the host country. The object of the study is transboundary migration flows in the North and Central America region. The paper analyzes the causes of migration conflicts and the peculiarities of their development. It examines the impact of economic inequality, political instability, and the criminalization of border areas. Special attention is given to the role of the migration policy of the United States and Mexico, as well as the problem of institutional inconsistency. The aim of the research is to identify the factors determining the conflict dynamics of migration processes and to assess the possibilities of their regulation from the perspective of conflictology. The work employs institutional and structural-functional analysis, as well as a comparative method. The empirical basis consists of data from international organizations, analytical centers, and scientific publications on the issue of migration conflicts. The main conclusions of the conducted research state that migration conflicts at the U.S.-Mexico border are formed under the influence of a combination of socio-economic, political, and institutional factors. It has been established that their development is determined not so much by the scale of migration as by the quality of state governance and the level of coordination in migration regulation. A significant contribution of the author to the study of the topic is the identification of the role of public opinion and mass media as factors that exacerbate social polarization and transboundary tension. It has been shown that the informational support of migration processes directly influences the perception of migration as a threat and contributes to increased conflict. The novelty of the research lies in the consideration of migration conflicts as an independent conflict dynamic reproduced by the institutional and social conditions of the region, rather than as a temporary reaction to an increase in migration flows. The conclusions justify the need to transition from predominantly reactive measures to a long-term migration management strategy aimed at institutional coordination, protection of migrant rights, and reduction of conflict potential at the U.S.-Mexico border. The results of the research can be used in the development of migration policy, humanitarian aid programs, and mechanisms for transboundary cooperation.