Along the Border: An Agent-Based Model of Migration along the United States-Mexico Border

Abstract

Migration to the United States (U.S.) has been an ongoing topic in the political discourse. In the specific case of migration using the United States-Mexico border, it is difficult to understand the patterns and uncertainty that comes from trying to capture the behavior of individuals and groups. Migrants using the U.S.-Mexico border present features and migration patterns that are unique, particularly in the case of group migrations, structured social networks, and caravans that travel towards the border together. We build an agent-based model (ABM) that simulates migrant decision-making of which border to choose, to test the effects of social influence on an agent's migration strategy, as well as the effects of policy changes on migrant behavior. Deciphering these emerging patterns of migration and social phenomena can help provide researchers and policymakers with an added dimension of knowledge on how to better utilize resources at the U.S. ports of entry.