Student Profile: Ariana Garcia, MA in International Development and Policy, Class of 2020

Master of Arts in International Development and Policy student Ariana Garcia Reyna came to the University of Chicago from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, a city central to the debates whirling around security, illegal immigration, and a logistics hub at the US-Mexico border.

“Before coming to Harris, I worked for the U.S. Department of State at the U.S. Consulate Nuevo Laredo, serving as point of contact to the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City. I conducted daily reports focused on economic development, illegal migration, caravans, and security. Illegal migration is not new, but since the caravans of migrants arrived to Mexico and Migrant Protection Protocols were instated, there has been an increase in deportations from the Mexican government and in the number of asylum seekers. The migrant shelters are overcrowded, and many migrants are being kidnapped or robbed by the cartels. In some states and cities in Mexico, support from the law enforcement institutions is null. Nonetheless, border cities like Nuevo Laredo are critical for the economic development of both Mexico and the United States, and it’s important to empower and support the citizens committed to making Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, and Mexico a better place to live.”

Equipped with this unique perspective, Garcia is pursuing a Master of Arts in International Development and Policy with the ultimate goal of consulting on projects related to international development at the border. Since the Mexican Federal Government dissolved ProMexico, the Mexican representation office to the world in charge of attracting new investments, she recognizes a good opportunity to support Mexican companies trying to promote their business in the United States through private consulting.

“I want to continue facilitating cooperation and understanding between Mexico and the United States.” Garcia’s work focuses on an intersection—where nonprofit, public, and private sectors meet—and spans across boundaries of politics, economics, and security.

For the past three years, she has worked as Political and Economic Assistant of the Department of State at the U.S. Consulate Nuevo Laredo. Being the first Mexican national with this position gave her the opportunity to advocate on political and economic issues and advise the Consul General and Political Officers during security meetings. She also introduced new contacts to American diplomats during USMCA negotiations and reported on the Migrant Protection Protocol and the development of a caravan of Central Americans that arrived near the border in February 2019.

Prior to her role at the Consulate, she was Director of the Economic and Industrial Development Council of Nuevo Laredo (CODEIN), where she promoted her city and was selected for the prestigious International Visitors Leadership Program sponsored by the Department of State. She also is an experienced lawyer and worked for the Mexican Federal Judiciary branch at the beginning of her career. “In a region with very low female participation in the private/public sector, I was one of the few women engaging in public policy dialogues.”

Garcia also served as Outreach Coordinator for the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs in Mexico from 2016 to 2019, organizing policy seminars to support Mexican legal reforms and reported on the Merida Initiative developments, a bilateral security agreement between the US and Mexico.

Garcia believes the skills she will gain in strategic planning and analysis at Harris will benefit her country. “Mexico needs to improve and implement new policies to fight corruption, foster economic development, and the most important objective should guarantee the security of their citizens. A graduate degree from Harris will give me all the necessary tools to advocate for new policies. The curriculum for the MA in International Development and Policy, which focuses on developing international leaders, is incredibly relevant to the work I plan to do. No matter where I end up after the MAIDP, I will always be connected to Mexico.”