Mirrored Realities: Local Perceptions of Haitian Migration and Border Enforcement in Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila, and Del Rio, Texas (2021–2023)

Abstract: This study explores local perceptions of Haitian migration and border enforcement responses in the twin border cities of Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila, and Del Rio, Texas, focusing on how residents navigated and interpreted on-the-ground changes from 2021 to 2023. Drawing on twenty-four semi-structured interviews, this research uncovered mirrored yet contrasting effects across these communities, illuminating themes of initial disruption and community mobilization, everyday life with migrants and enforcement personnel, and economic impacts. Using a transborder and ethnographic approach, this study challenges dominant narratives that either homogenize the U.S.-Mexico border region as a whole or analyze one side in isolation. Rather, it highlights how migration and enforcement policies produce interconnected yet distinct realities for neighboring communities. The findings offer a grounded perspective on the uneven impacts of migration and border governance, contributing to broader debates on transnational mobility, local resistance and adaptability, and state power. In doing so, the study underscores the importance of centering lived experiences in understanding the complex social, political, and economic dynamics of border regions.