Cross-border regions represent one of the most complex and vulnerable areas in the entire country. Being geographically established between two or more nations, their culture, needs, and lifestyles are different from those found in the rest of the country. This article aims to analyze the challenges and opportunities that are faced every day, as well as the regional integration and bilateral cooperation that takes place within these areas, considering the existing differences between the northern and southern border. Likewise, the participation and position of governments at both the local and federal levels is essential for the development of these communities, whose conflicts and needs are largely invisible, leaving aside strategies and public policies that are fundamental for the progress and self-sufficiency of the citizens that make up these cross-border com-munities. © 2020 by autores.