Thickening the border: El Paso and Juarez pedestrian connection

The US-Mexico border has been in existence for 161 years. Before the political line was established the US side was Mexican Territory. Then in 1845 the boundary was drawn across the desert and down along the Rio Grande, America had seized this land, which would become Texas. "The first time Mexicans and Canadians were subjected to control at U.S. borders came with the 1917 passage of the Immigration Act. Mexicans were charged eight dollars to cross the border and were required to pass a literacy test" (pg 72 Laufer). This promoted illegal crossings, even though a limitless number of Mexicans could gain passage into the U.S. In 1965 President Johnson signed a law that only allowed a certain number of immigrants from each country into the U.S. each year. This also pushed the frequency of illegal crossings. In the 1980's and 90's the flow of immigrants was reaching an all time high. Mexicans were crossing the Rio Grande to work in El Paso and then return to Juarez at the end of the day. They were shopping and sending their children to school there. The U.S. government felt like they needed to gain better control of this border and in 1994 Operation Hold The Line was put in place. This brought a change to the way the border was guarded. A new fence was erected; lights and more troops were added. "Since the passage of the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, the U.S. Border Patrol has grown into the nation's largest uniformed law enforcement agency, with nearly ten thousand officers" (pg xv Laufer). These actions have stifled the interaction between the two cities that have had a long lasting relationship with one another.