San Diego’s economy is the size of some small countries. But it’s a country under threat.

On paper, San Diego County is a picture of prosperity. If the county were its own nation, its $315 billion gross domestic product would rank among the world’s 50 largest economies.

Yet, across the region, businesses are putting on the brakes and worried about the future.

The reason? New federal trade and immigration policies threaten to choke off what once seemed like San Diego’s unique competitive advantage: Its intertwined economic relationship with its southern neighbor, Mexico.

This story is part of our Big Questions Facing San Diego in the Next 20 Years reporting project. Stay tuned for more stories this week.

Pillars of the local economy, including biotech companies, medical device manufact

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