Final answer:
Conflicts over the U.S.-Mexico border wall include concerns from businesses, environmentalists, and humanitarian groups about economic impacts, wildlife protection, and migrant safety. Historical disputes over border boundaries contribute to the conflict. Current controversies also pertain to racial issues and the divisive policy of separating immigrant families.
Step-by-step explanation:
Conflict Over the U.S.-Mexico Border Wall
One significant conflict that arose over the proposed border wall between Mexico and the United States involves various stakeholders, including local businesses, political leaders, environmentalists, and humanitarian groups. Local businesses and political leaders argue that the wall and related measures disregard the daily transborder economic activities vital to the region, as companies depend on the daily migration of employees from Mexico. Environmentalist groups, such as members of the Sierra Club, contend that many barriers violate federal statutes related to wildlife by restricting access to water sources for migrating animals. Humanitarian concerns are also at the forefront, with groups voicing outrage over the dangers posed to migrating humans. They state that the barriers push families to employ criminals for smuggling, while others are forced to take dangerous routes, evidenced by the discovery of hundreds of bodies in remote deserts where no wall exists.
In a historical context, the conflict over the border has deep roots. The Mexican-American War (1846-1848) was partly ignited by disputes over the boundary claims between the two countries, with the U.S. annexation of Texas and the subsequent declaration of the Rio Grande as the border — a claim Mexico opposed, insisting on the Nueces River as the boundary. These disputes revealed the expansionist desires of the United States and set the stage for enduring tensions.
Contemporary conflicts are also fueled by broader issues such as racial segregation, discrimination, and deeply divisive policies such as the separation of immigrant children from their parents at the U.S. border. The protests from various colleges and universities across the U.S. border regions exemplify the broad-based opposition to the wall's construction, which many believe is ineffective, sends a xenophobic message, and violates American values.