The Environmental and Cultural Risks of Resuming Border Wall Construction

A pause on border wall development is about to run out on March 20, with out a sign of what’s going to occur subsequent. President Biden signed a proclamation ordering the 60-day pause on his first day in workplace. Any future development would compound the cultural and environmental harm that has already been performed throughout a number of administrations.

Biden stated his administration would use the to pause to assessment all development contracts and the prices of “terminating or repurposing” them. It is usually assessing how else it might be able to use the $1.4 billion accepted by Congress for the border wall.

The Trump administration accomplished 453 miles of latest main or secondary limitations. To take action, it waived dozens of legal guidelines, together with the Native American Graves Safety and Repatriation Act, the Endangered Particular Act, and the Secure Consuming Water Act.

Parts of the border wall have destroyed cultural websites of Indigenous folks and forestall them from touring throughout their ancestral lands. Twice in September 2020, Border Patrol brokers responded violently to O’odham girls protesting wall development at their sacred Quitobaquito Springs. The brokers yanked the ladies other than one another as they held arms, knocked them over, pointed stun weapons at them, and arrested two of them. The O’odham folks have lengthy confronted frequent harassment and interrogations by Border Patrol.

A Nationwide Parks and Wildlife report predicted that the border wall might harm or destroy 22 archaeological websites on the Organ Pipe Cactus Nationwide Monument in Arizona. Additionally in danger is an over 200-year-old Catholic chapel within the Rio Grande Valley.

The border wall additionally creates environmental harm. It prevents animal migration, causes flooding, and mars pristine wilderness. A 2017 report listed 93 threatened and endangered species that may be harmed by the wall. Earlier this yr, over 70 organizations despatched the Biden administration an inventory of environmental websites which must be prioritized for defense.

Within the last weeks earlier than Biden’s inauguration, contractors rushed to finish as a lot work as potential, leaving quick items of wall on remoted, treacherous terrain. In some locations, they left deep cuts by means of mountains, which have been supposed to carry partitions however have solely elevated erosion.

A 2020 Division of Homeland Safety Inspector Common report concluded that the Trump administration didn’t have proof {that a} border wall would successfully stop unauthorized border crossings.

Democratic members of Congress from border districts asking him to cancel all border wall contracts, take away the wall in areas of essential environmental or cultural significance, and develop an environmental mitigation plan for border communities.

The Biden administration ought to honor its marketing campaign promise with a everlasting finish to wall development. Assets must be centered as a substitute on undoing the hurt of the Trump administration and welcome with dignity the backlog of asylum seekers on the border.

FILED UNDER: Biden-Harris Administration, Border Wall, U.S.-Mexico Border