Department Chair of Ethnic Studies Department

• Office: MD-362 (San Marcos main campus)
• Email:agomez1@palomar.edu
  Phone: 760-744-1150 x 2766
• Office Hours:
  By appointment only.

I am Alex Gomez, a historian specializing in the U.S.–Mexico border region. For more than 25 years, I have guided college and high school students in examining the historical, social, and economic dynamics that shape globalization and migration. My teaching and research emphasize the responsibility of education to foster civic engagement and critical inquiry, empowering students to address issues of justice and equity in an increasingly interconnected world.

Global migration has emerged as one of the most pressing challenges of our time, driven by conflict, climate change, and economic inequality. At the San Diego–Tijuana border, the past decade has witnessed an unprecedented influx of migrants from around the world. This diverse movement of people has profoundly shaped local dynamics and tested the adaptability of current U.S. immigration laws, revealing the urgent need for more humane and comprehensive policy responses.