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The hot-button issues between the United States and Mexico 鈥� immigration, trade, the border wall 鈥� will shift when a new president is elected July 1. The front-runner is leading with a 鈥淢exico first鈥� approach.听

Could global sparring over trade create an era of more 鈥渃losed鈥� economics? In America鈥檚 manufacturing heartland, some worry that an effort to fight for US jobs could cost them instead.

All politics is local, and one small town shows just how true that is. Ever since a local restaurant asked the White House press secretary to leave, Lexington, Va., has seen vitriolic national debate explode on its doorstep.

Now to a Texas town. Living on the border means facing issues most Americans don鈥檛 see. Recently, though, the tensions of border life feel as though they鈥檝e been dialed to 11 鈥� and even a beloved sports event isn't providing much of a respite.

Peter Rainer鈥檚 recommendations include an affectionate (but not sappy) documentary about the 鈥減rincipled gentleness鈥� of Fred Rogers, and an unassuming charmer about immigrants trying to get by while holding on to some dignity.

A good sign of a community鈥檚 bonds of affection is its ability to come together to deal with a massive influx of migrants 鈥� and a challenge to its identity. Three years after its migrant crisis began, the European Union reached an agreement Friday that shows, at the least, that it won鈥檛 allow migrant issues to split it apart.

鈥淲e have succeeded in obtaining a European solution,鈥澛爏aid Emmanuel Macron, France鈥檚 president, adding that cooperation 鈥渉as won the day.鈥�

At a two-day summit in Brussels, EU leaders were under the gun to reach a deal. Germany鈥檚 fragile government coalition faced a threat from its interior minister that he would close German borders after July 1 if the EU did not agree to curb the flow of asylum-seekers. And Italy refused to talk about any EU business until other members stepped up to help it with a wave of migrants reaching its shores.

鈥淢igration could end up determining Europe鈥檚 destiny,鈥� warned German Chancellor Angela Merkel before the meeting, in an echo of similar political divisions in the United States over migration across its southern border.

In the end, EU leaders found solidarity around a range of temporary solutions, especially in relieving pressure on member states along the Mediterranean Sea that bear the brunt of migrants sailing from Africa and the Middle East 鈥� an estimated 54,000 so far this year.

鈥淚taly is no longer alone,鈥� said Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte after the summit. Or as Spanish Premier Pedro S谩nchez put it, the deal continues 鈥渁 European perspective to face this European challenge.鈥�

The agreement calls for sending migrants rescued at sea to asylum processing centers (鈥渄isembarkation platforms鈥�) that are outside the EU, preferably in North African nations, and that would be monitored to meet international standards of care. Migrants already in the EU, which include 160,000 in Greece and Italy, will be sent to secure 鈥渉otspot鈥� processing centers in other EU countries, but 鈥渙nly on a voluntary basis.鈥� In addition, the EU will invest more money in African nations that are the main sources of migration.

This summit plan is broad in ideas and still short on details. 鈥淲e still have a lot of work to do to bridge the different views,鈥� Ms. Merkel said.

With a rise of anti-immigrant parties in Europe, the EU has been forced to search even harder for a consensus on the core principles of the bloc. Or as English philosopher Roger Scruton states in a new book about conserving traditions, it is impossible to respond to a challenge from outsiders without first reestablishing a community鈥檚 values and identity.

鈥淭his means [regaining] confidence not in our political institutions only, but in the spiritual inheritance on which they ultimately rest,鈥� writes Mr. Scruton. He calls this a 鈥渞ediscovery of ourselves鈥� and a way to learn what it takes to trust one鈥檚 neighbors.

The EU plan is only a small step in that direction, but one that may save the bloc鈥檚 unity and its larger purpose as a peaceful, integrated Continent.

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