I am in need of a 300 word discussion post and two 200 word responses. Discussio

I am in need of a 300 word discussion post and two 200 word responses.
Discussion post: Discuss the similarities and/or differences between the external borders of European Union (EU), the U.S. – Mexico border, and the U.S.-Canadian border? Explain how the borders within the EU have changed since the “Cold War”? (LO8.1 & LO8.2)
Response #1 (Cassandra/ Cas) Greetings, Dr. DiRenzo and Classmates,
The final countdown has begun. I wish each of you nothing but success in all you do. Plunging into our final discussion post left some extraordinary topics to address. We are tasked with discussing the similarities and differences between the external borders of the European Union (EU), the U.S.-Mexico border, and the U.S.-Canadian border. Explain how the borders within the EU have changed since the “Cold War”?
The differences between the European Union and the United States are that the (EU) welcomes everyone in their country with open arms, and the US desperately tries to limit who can cross our borders. The similarity between the two countries is that the realization has surfaced that terrorism is on the rise and spreading viciously like cancer. There is a 6.1% jump in 2023, which were non-EU citizens, which could be some terrorists’ (EUROSTAT, 2024). Other similarities are that both countries rely on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to monitor and screen migrant crossings. The similarities between the US and Mexico are that both countries have struggled to gain control of their borders. A once ignored political debate of immigration has now morphed into an explosion of a phenomenon of push and pull narratives that continue to drive the political meltdown of failed policies of Title 42 expulsions, COVID-19, and a strained lack of resources at our borders, with millions of migrant lives caught in the crosshairs which are running from economic instability, and politically troubled war-torn countries in record numbers, only to be caged in unofficial camps like animals in a foreign country filled with turmoil. As the border crisis continues to grow more chaotic, it only enhances the nature of terrorism. The difference is that a massive shift of 54% of migrants crossing the border now come from countries other than Mexico, such as Venezuela, China, and Guatemala (Gramlich, 2024). There are some critical differences between the U.S.-Canadian border and the US. For example, Canada, for starters, is geographically more challenging to access because the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic Oceans surround it. Canada handles fewer immigration cases per year and is much stricter on its immigration policy than the US, only allowing 28 percent of families of migrants, which include (spouses, minor children, and parents). In contrast, the US allowed 68% under the same family category (Gramlich, 2024). Similarities in the U.S.-Canadian border are that both countries collaborate to ensure cohesive immigration and family reunification meet economic needs. How the European Union (EU) borders have changed since the “Cold War.” The best, well-laid plans do not always go to plan. With that said, there were unique opportunities that the EU wanted to capitalize on to take advantage of strengthening host relationships; however, the COVID-19 pandemic plagued the nation at record-setting paces with poor political guidance, the US mortgage crisis crept in through the back door without warning, and the fear and repression of civil wars in North Africa, and the Middle East ignited a global migration crisis across the border, with so many crises’ evolving at once backlash set in against EU (Schimmelfennig, 2018). Operationally, with the support of its Coast Guard partners, the EU switched its focus to building tighter external border control. Ultimately, the EU overcame its economic hardships through the power of influence that transcends national government boundaries (Lavenex et al., 2021).
EUROSTAT. (2024). Statistics explained. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Migration_and_migrant_population_statistics
Gramlich, J. (2024). Migrant encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border hit a record high at the end of 2023. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/02/15/migrant-encounters-at-the-us-mexico-border-hit-a-record-high-at-the-end-of-2023/
Lavenex, S., Krizic, I., Veuthey, A. (2021). EU boundaries in the making: Functionalist versus federalist. Journal of European Public Policy. https://doi.org/10.1080/ 13501763.2021.1881586
Schimmelfennig, F. (2018). European integration ‘theory’ in times of crisis. A comparison of the Euro and Schengen crises. Journal of European Public Policy, 25(7), 969– 989. https://doi.org/10.1080/13501763.2017.1421252
Cheers,
– Cas
Response #2 (Michael): Good morning class and Dr DiRenzo, the similarities between the external borders of the European Union (EU), and the United States – Mexico border are that they are highly concerned with balancing security and the flow of trade. Since there is no restrictions against immigration in the European Union, there is no “illegal immigrant,” and so illegal immigration is not specifically a concern. But the EU organization Frontex, like the U.S. Border Patrol, is concerned with crime and terrorism introduced via immigration (Economist, 2021). Another similarity is in infrastructure, i.e. advanced border control systems, including surveillance technologies and databases, that are used to manage and monitor borders. The U.S.-Mexico border has some walls and fencing, whereas the EU does not.
While the EU’s borders are unique because of their multinational managment and free movement policies, the U.S.-Mexico border is heavily fortified and focused on security. The U.S.-Canada border stands out for its relative openness and extensive cooperation.
When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, Germany reunified and the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, allowing for the creation of many new independent states and redrawing national boundaries throughout Europe. The Schengen Agreement, created to facilitate the flow of goods, services, and persons across European borders, was fully implemented in 1995 (Felbermayr et al., 2018), and from there Europe expanded and unified. Today’s European Union faces such challenges as migration crises and “Brexit” in which the United Kingdom chose to leave the EU, creating a hard border.
Thank you,
Scott
References
Economist. (2021). Frontex, the EU’s border force, swells in size. https://www.economist.com/europe/2021/03/03/frontex-the-eus-border-force-swells-in-size
Felbermayr, G., Gröschl, J., & Steinwachs, T. (2018). The Trade Effects of Border Controls: Evidence from the European Schengen Agreement. Journal of Common Market Studies, 56(2), 335–351. https://doi-org.ezproxy2.apus.edu/10.1111/jcms.12603