Mission Foods Texas Mexico Center

08/20/2026

Texas Cannot Ignore Today’s Trade Wars

Texas has become the nation’s leading exporting state, but how could a shift toward protectionism affect the economic model behind that success?

In a new article, Dean Stansel, faculty board member at the SMU Mission Foods Texas–Mexico Center, and Richard Alm examine how decades of more open trade, competition, and North American economic integration have contributed to the state’s economic strength.

The analysis explores:

• How Texas became the nation’s No. 1 exporting state
• Why exports and imports remain strong despite higher tariffs
• How the USMCA supports integrated supply chains with Mexico and Canada
• What increased protectionism could mean for long-term growth and competitiveness

Swipe through to discover the key insights from the article.

📖 Read the full article in D CEO:
https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-ceo/2026/august/texas-cant-ignore-todays-trade-wars/

08/11/2026

Mexico's Export Paradox

Mexico has become one of the world's leading export economies—but why hasn't that translated into stronger long-term economic development?

In this Policy Insight, Manuel Sánchez, a Fellow at the SMU Mission Foods Texas–Mexico Center, examines the disconnect between export success and broad-based economic progress.

The analysis explores:

• Why export growth alone is not enough to drive prosperity
• How East Asian economies leveraged trade to boost productivity and innovation
• What structural reforms could help transform Mexico's long-term economic trajectory

Swipe through to discover the key insights from the article.
📖 Read the full analysis: https://mansanchezgz.substack.com/p/mexicos-export-paradox

07/28/2026

Hear from Our Experts | Dr. Adrián Duhalt

We are pleased to highlight that Dr. Adrián Duhalt, Fellow in Energy at the SMU Mission Foods Texas–Mexico Center, was recently featured in The Texas Tribune discussing Mexico's growing dependence on Texas natural gas and the implications for regional energy security.

Dr. Duhalt's analysis examines how decades of policy decisions, infrastructure limitations, and growing energy demand have strengthened the Texas–Mexico energy relationship, making cross-border natural gas trade a critical component of North America's energy future.
Swipe through to explore highlights from Dr. Duhalt's latest research.

📖 Read the Texas Tribune article: https://www.texastribune.org/2026/07/14/mexico-texas-energy-relations-natural-gas-2/

📊 View Dr. Duhalt's research presentation:
https://www.dallasfed.org/-/media/documents/events/2026/26energytrade/26energytrade-duhalt.pdf

05/04/2026

Don't miss your chance to register for Texas-Mexico Energy Trade: Local and Global Impacts on May 8th.

Registration closes today May 4 at 5:00 p.m. ​

This forum will examine the deepening energy relationship between Texas and Mexico.

Hear from experts including Jesse Thompson (Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas), Adrian de la Garza (Cemex), Adrian Duhalt (SMU Mission Foods Texas–Mexico Center), Andrew Zoeller (Energy Intelligence), Mark Roles (ONEOK), Alberto De La Pena (Haynes Boone), and keynote speaker Clay Seigle (CSIS).​
​
Free event. Breakfast and lunch included. Seats are limited.​

Register here: https://cvent.me/Ey1obm

04/20/2026

Join the SMU Mission Foods Texas–Mexico Center and the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas for a forum examining the deepening energy relationship between Texas and Mexico.​

Texas is one of the world’s largest energy-producing regions. The shale boom and prolific oil and gas production led to a resumption of oil exports in 2015 following the lifting of a 40-year-old federal ban. Petrochemical and natural gas exports also surged. In fact, Mexico’s electricity production today largely relies on imports of natural gas from Texas. Texas also refines Mexican oil and returns it in the form of gasoline. Over the past decade, Texas energy trade has grown exponentially. Newly built LNG export terminals along the Gulf Coast allow the sale of low-cost U.S. natural gas to high-priced global markets. While the benefits are significant, securing the energy supply chain is an increasingly important challenge.​​

Date: May 8​
Time: 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.​
Location: Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, 2200 N. Pearl St., Dallas, TX 75201​

This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required, and seating is first-come, first-served.​

Register here: https://cvent.me/Ey1obm​

04/09/2026

We are pleased to highlight new research from Texas–Mexico Center Faculty Advisory Board member Dr. Jesus Cañas, alongside co-authors Isabel Brizuela, Luis Torres, and Diego Morales-Burnett from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.

The article highlights how Ciudad Juárez is transitioning from a traditional manufacturing hub to a more advanced and modern production center that relies on higher-skilled labor and advanced machinery. While the city has experienced job losses, this shift reflects a broader move toward automation and higher-value industries, particularly in electronics and technology-related manufacturing.

This transformation matters because border cities in Mexico are deeply connected to Texas cities, forming an integrated manufacturing and trade corridor. Changes in the type of production and technology used in these regions can directly affect product prices, supply chains, job opportunities, and overall regional economic growth. More broadly, this shift illustrates how technology is reshaping jobs across industries and signals where the global economy is heading.

Read more:

Ciudad Juarez, across the Rio Grande from El Paso, lost nearly one-fifth of its manufacturing jobs over a two-year period. The decline reflects the city’s move into higher value-added, less labor-intensive production of electronics and hardware demanded for the U.S.’s burgeoning data center buil...

03/31/2026

The Texas-Mexico Center congratulates Senior Fellow and Faculty Advisory Board member Dr. Raymond Robertson on receiving the 2026 AEJ Best Article Award, alongside Dr. Kaleb Abreha. Their paper, “Revisiting the Effects of Regional Trade Agreements Using Staggered Adoption Design,” was published in the September 2025 issue of AEJ, and we are proud to see this work recognized.

Their research shows that regional trade agreements meaningfully boost trade between countries, but the effects are not immediate. Instead, trade grows gradually over time as countries adjust, with increases reaching roughly 25–30% within a decade. The study also highlights that countries often begin adapting even before agreements formally take effect, underscoring the long-term and dynamic impact of trade policy.

This is important because it helps assess the effectiveness of regional trade agreements over time. It also shows how the measurement of these effects can influence overall policy conclusions.

Read more here: https://link.springer.com/epdf/10.1007/s11293-025-09828-0?sharing_token=HSdjePdCgODQZrY8TpBXlve4RwlQNchNByi7wbcMAY7VxL_1HYm4aZamHNFovQfhhyg8CESDL9O564hvGiaL-u4-z2qZ3Yz5YIVZAeYB41G_-iRsJzqj96K2ex0HjgT8Hh6CUM7W5yAAW9RjrRKzo-57WWe3gvjCq70Cf7aCsQ8%3D

AEJ Best Article Award: https://www.iaes.org/best-article-award/