PHARR, Texas — Framing the U.S.–Mexico border not as a line of defense but as the central node of modern international commerce, foreign policy expert Duncan Wood told a packed audience of business leaders and public officials that South Texas plays a pivotal role in securing North American economic dominance.
Wood, CEO of Hurst International Consulting and a Senior Advisor to the Wilson Center, served as the keynote speaker at the City of Pharr’s inaugural Gateway Forum. During his address, he drew sharp contrasts between global economic "choke points"—such as the Strait of Hormuz in the Middle East—and cross-border "gateways" like the Pharr International Bridge that turn commercial friction into capacity.
"The border is not where the American economy ends; it's where the North American economy connects," Wood told attendees, emphasizing that border communities are essential to driving regional trade and maintaining a competitive edge against foreign adversaries like China.
Reflecting on recent global instability and soaring energy prices caused by conflicts in the Middle East, Wood noted how geographic vulnerabilities can cripple global markets when trade relies on narrow, heavily concentrated transit corridors.
"A choke point for me is a concentrated point of passage or dependency where a wider system, such as the global economy, can be slowed, blocked, manipulated, or disrupted," Wood stated.
In contrast, he argued that well-managed border ports function as dynamic gateways that enable secure and predictable movement. Moving away from what he termed a "fortress mentality" or "siege mentality," Wood stressed that economic strength requires resilience and redundant pathways rather than isolation.
"Gateways have to be the future," Wood argued. "A well-designed gateway turns congestion into capacity. It connects goods, people, capital, information, and investment across a wider system."
Wood pointed to the Pharr International Bridge as a primary example of how targeted local infrastructure produces national economic ripples. Highlighting key figures from recent trade data, he outlined the bridge’s massive footprint:
|
Metric |
Figure / Economic Impact |
|
Total 2025 Trade Volume |
~$45 Billion (97% U.S.–Mexico trade) |
|
Share of RGV Bridge Trade |
70% |
|
2025 Fresh Produce Volume |
8.9+ Billion lbs. (37% of total U.S. fresh produce imports) |
|
FY 2026 Ag Truck Crossings |
~240,000 trucks |
|
U.S. Economic Output Generated |
$26 Billion (sustaining ~140,000 U.S. jobs) |
"Produce is one of the issues that most people in Washington say, 'Well that's just the stuff that we buy in the supermarket... That is not a strategic good,'" Wood said. "It's a daily life gateway for U.S. households... If they're not there or if they've gone up in price, we're not happy. The affordability issue is the single biggest issue that we're going to see come home to roost."
Wood noted that the ecosystem surrounding the port has catalyzed severe private sector investment, including 35 cold storage facilities spanning 2 million square feet ($700 million investment) and 4 to 5 million square feet of dry warehousing ($500 million investment).
Addressing the influx of electronics, component manufacturing, and data center inputs moving from Asia through Mexican ports into Texas, Wood emphasized that expanding border infrastructure is directly linked to U.S. geopolitical competition in artificial intelligence and technology.
To meet rising demand, the City of Pharr has underway or completed over $100 million in capital improvements, including:
Wood urged leaders across Washington and South Texas to continue expanding investment across four key pillars: physical infrastructure, trusted-trader technology (such as pre-clearance and product digital passports), human capital, and industrial land development.
"Nearshoring doesn't work without gateways," Wood concluded. "Far is not at the edge of the American economy. It is at the center of the new North American economy."
