As the afternoon heads into evening, long lines of cars and people form at the U.S.-Mexico border, ready to go home. The United States and Mexico share a 2000-mile-long border , and rely on 38 ports of entry that are hubs of binational trade, culture, and community activity.

One million people cross legally between our two countries every day, along with hundreds of thousands of cars, cargo trucks and rail cars.

The challenge for both the U.S. and Mexico remains one of keeping our borders open for the legitimate flow of peoples and goods while closing them off to those who wish to do our citizens harm or break our laws. Together with Mexico we build special lanes and border crossings to expedite trusted travelers and pre-cleared goods. We advise businesses on the rules they must follow if they want their products to cross without delays.

We cooperate closely with Mexico to seal the border from smugglers and their contraband. We share information to respond quickly to cross-border violence. We rescue migrants in distress, whether they are crossing a river or the desert. We also return thousands of migrants every year, many of them unaccompanied children, who need to return home after apprehension in the U.S.

Border security is a challenge for both our countries. As we look to improve border coordination with Mexico, Mexico is also looking to do the same along its southern border with Guatemala.