The U.S. Southwest has some of the most amazing landscapes in the world, especially here in
the borderlands.
But we have a big problem with smuggling and with Border Patrol's overreaction to some
of that smuggling.
Let me give you an example of Oregon Pipe Cactus National Monument here in Arizona and Cabesa
Prieta National Wildlife Refuge right next door to there.
These are amazing areas that have been set aside to protect the natural resources that
are really one of a kind and there's nothing like them in the whole world.
Some of the species that live in Oregon Pipe include the Oregon Pipe Cactus, really only
found in that area of the world.
The Sonoran Desert Pronghorn is a Sonoran Desert tortoise.
We also have the Fringe Toad Horned Lizard.
But recently, Customs and Border Patrol have been investing millions of dollars in creating
a military industrial complex on the border.
The Border Patrol has grown to more than 21,000 agents and have more than 10,000 vehicles.
Thousands of agents are being placed on the ground driving ATVs and trucks.
The result has been to take a very rugged jeep trail and turn it into a super highway
for Border Patrol.
The Fish and Wildlife Service put out a report documenting more than 7,000 miles of vehicle
tracks in the wilderness areas of the Cabesa Prieta.
There are 649 miles of barriers and walls already constructed, including along the southern
border of these two areas, so we know that these tracks are not being made by smugglers
and because there's very little recreational off-roading, we know it's not that either.
These tracks and roads are being caused by Border Patrol off-roading and driving around
in areas where they should be patrolling on horseback or on foot.
All of these roads and vehicle tracks cause a big problem for the environment.
The soils can't recover from the compaction.
The water is channeled to places where it shouldn't be going.
There's an impact to the wildlife and the vegetation in the region and it's on a huge
scale.
Border Patrol is basically given free rein to do any enforcement activities they need
to.
There's nothing in refuge law or park service law that prevents Border Patrol from having
agents in the field from driving where they need to.
There are some people who want to give them more authority to violate environmental laws
or to completely ignore environmental laws.
Some members of Congress are trying to use border security concerns as an excuse to get
rid of environmental regulations.
We don't need that at the border.
What we need is better training for the Border Patrol.
We need to address the root causes that are at the heart of these migration and smuggling
issues and we need more environmental protection on the border, not less.
What we need you to do about it is we need you to get in touch with your congressmen
and your senators and let them know that Border Patrol is having a really serious impact
and you want that to be reined in.
