Hello and welcome to a special edition of the News Hour Podcast, the first of two bonus

editions no less ahead of the US presidential election. This one is coming to you

from San Antonio in southern Texas on a beautifully warm morning.

Now this feels like a city that's going places. We're recording this in what's known as the Pearl,

a small downtown district of newly restored old buildings and some new units

mostly given over to shopping restaurants and coffee bars and even at this time.

It is filling up with people enjoying the sunshine. Now San Antonio

is just a couple of hours dry from the border with Mexico and that influence is

everywhere. Spanish is widely spoken. Two- thirds of the population identify as Hispanic.

Many people have extended family in Mexico and there is plenty of movement to and fro, people and goods.

The two subjects we're going to talk about today

because that journey across the border

is one we've made over the past couple of weeks.

From Mexico's commercial hub Monterrey to the Texas. couple of

Wakes. From Mexico's commercial hub Monterrey to the Texan border town of Laredo through the cattle ranches

just north of the border and then on to San Antonio. Well, let me introduce my guests here today.

Roghiliot Science, professor of sociology

and demography at the University of Texas

in San Antonio.

Welcome to you.

Thank you very much.

And Alejandra Arredondo, reporter. Antonio. Welcome to you. Thank you very much.

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