Unquestionably, the U.S.-Mexico border has an image problem. Both the U.S. side and the Mexican side replicate the political, economic, social, and cultural systems of their respective nation-states. Today the area stands as a prime example of binational interdependence, providing striking evidence of the trend toward closer ties among the world's nations and societies. Transborder interdependence is rooted in the economic interaction that has existed between the United States and Mexico for several generations. In a functional sense, two systems have combined to produce one order that is quite distinct from those of the two parent societies, and a population whose lifestyles differ considerably from what is found in heartland zones.
Transnational interaction is normal and routine.
Second, they are accustomed to dealing with conflicts spawned by the border itself or by larger international controversies. Fronterizos know the border is a flash point and they are used to putting out fires. These experiences then are central elements in the values, thinking, and behavior of border people. But other factors play a significant role, as well. Regionalism, an important variable in the configuration of the borderlands, is evidenced in the expression of U.S. Southwestern and Mexican norte o cultural styles.