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If you are only planning a short visit to one of the border towns in Mexico, you won't require any type of visa or other documentation. There is a "free-zone" (twenty miles within the U.S. border) and as long as you don't cross that and leave the country within 72 hours, you will not have to take any special precautions.

Tourist Visa - FMT

If you plan to enter as a tourist, but intend to travel farther than the twenty mile free zone area, you will need to get a tourist visa (FMT). These are good for six months, and can be applied for at the border or at a Mexican Consulate, travel agency, or airline if you're planning to fly into the country. You will need a valid passport or birth certificate, plus some other type of picture I.D. such as a driver's license. You will need to fill out some basic paperwork that asks for your name, address, where you're going and why you're in the country.

Non-Immigrant Visa - FM3

An FM3 is a one year permit to reside in Mexico. This document makes the holder a No Imigrante (Non-Immigrant) like the tourist visa but, unlike the tourist visa, you are allowed to live in the country for an extended period of time. The document must be renewed each year as long as you continue to reside in Mexico. After your fifth year you can either upgrade to an FM2 or simply request a new FM3.