---
title: "How Americans, Mexicans see each other differs for those closer to border"
description: "Amid tense relations between the U.S. and Mexico, one of the factors affecting the way Mexicans and Americans view each other is proximity to the border. "
date: "2017-10-25"
authors:
  - name: "Hanyu Chwe"
    job_title: "Former Research Assistant"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/hanyu-chwe/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2017/10/25/how-americans-mexicans-see-each-other-differs-for-those-closer-to-border/"
categories:
  - "Border Security & Enforcement"
  - "Migration Issues"
  - "U.S. Global Image"
---

# How Americans, Mexicans see each other differs for those closer to border

[![College-educated Republicans now much less optimistic about GOP future](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2017/10/FT_17.10.02_GOPoptimism_demographic.png?w=146)](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2017/10/FT_17.10.02_GOPoptimism_demographic.png)

[![The border city of Tijuana, in the Mexican state of Baja California, as seen from the U.S. (Luis Acosta/AFP/Getty Images)](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/FT_17.09.29_MexicoUS-Border.jpg)](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2017/10/25/how-americans-mexicans-see-each-other-differs-for-those-closer-to-border/ft_17-09-29_mexicous-border/)
*The city of Tijuana, Mexico, along its border with the U.S. (Luis Acosta/AFP/Getty Images)*

[![](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2017/10/FT_17.09.29_Mexico-US-Border.png)](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2017/10/25/how-americans-mexicans-see-each-other-differs-for-those-closer-to-border/ft_17-09-29_mexico-us-border/)

Amid [tense relations](http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-41138825) between the United States and Mexico, one of the factors affecting the way Mexicans and Americans view each other is proximity to the border. But border-dwellers in the two countries don’t lean the same way: Americans living in parts of southern California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas are *less* favorable toward Mexico than Americans further from the border, while in Mexico those near the boundary between the two countries are *more* positive toward the U.S. than other Mexicans.

Nearly six-in-ten Americans (57%) living within 200 miles of the border hold a favorable view of Mexico, compared with 66% in other parts of the U.S. The reverse is true on the Mexican side: 41% of Mexicans who live within 200 miles of the U.S. border have a favorable view of the U.S. compared with only 28% of those who live further away.

In the U.S., border proximity matters even when controlling for political party affiliation. Overall, however, party support does play a significant role in how Americans view Mexico: 78% of Democrats have a positive view of Mexico, compared with less than half of Republicans (47%). These partisan differences have intensified in recent years: In 2010, 58% of Democrats and 48% of Republicans viewed Mexico positively, resulting in just a 10-point partisan divide.

Proximity to the border does *not* matter when it comes to views about U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed border wall. Only about one-third (32%) of Americans near the border and 35% of those living further away from the border approve of the proposed wall. Mexicans are overwhelmingly united in opposition: Only 3% of Mexicans within 200 miles from the border and 5% of Mexicans further from the border approve of Trump’s plan.

![](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/FT_17.10.24_mexicoBorder.png)

In general, American views of Mexico have remained quite positive, despite [frictions between the U.S. and Mexican presidents](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/25/world/americas/trump-mexico-border-wall.html). In fact, the percentage of Americans with a favorable opinion of Mexico is up 12 points since the last time this question was asked in 2010. But Mexican views of the U.S. have [deteriorated](https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2017/09/14/mexican-views-of-the-u-s-turn-sharply-negative/), plunging from 66% favorable in 2015 to only 30% favorable in 2017.

*Note: See **[topline results](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/10/25094959/Pew-Research-Center-Border-Distance-TOPLINE-FOR-RELEASE.pdf) of our survey and *[*methodology*](https://www.pewresearch.org/methodology/international-survey-research/international-methodology/global-attitudes-survey/all-country/2017)*.*