National Wildlife Refuges Along the Southern Border: Walls and Wildlife Don’t Mix 

During the Trump Administration, Congress authorized funding for the construction of miles of new wall along our country’s southern border. Several national wildlife refuges in Texas and Arizona were subjected to construction activities on and around their boundaries. 

On his first day in office, President Biden put a pause on spending the border wall funding and initiated environmental and project funding reviews. The nonpartisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) determined that this action by the Biden Administration did not break the law and allowed the pause to continue. This review is invaluable to the security and effectiveness of the national wildlife refuges along the southern border including Santa Ana (TX), Lower Rio Grande Valley (TX), Cabeza Prieta (AZ), Buenos Aires (AZ), and San Bernardino (AZ).

The Threat

Although border wall construction has been paused by the current administration, half-finished projects, raw construction materials, and disruptive lighting and fencing remain on and around border refuges. These projects now sit in limbo with no plan or direction for dealing with the unfinished sections of the border wall. 

Although the GAO has established that the Biden Administration has not broken the law by pausing border wall funding, those funds appropriated by Congress must be spent on border-related issues. Fortunately, there are multiple paths forward that will make better use of border security funding.

Our Solution

The border wall remains a political flashpoint in the United States and its usefulness is in serious doubt. The National Wildlife Refuge Association is urging Congress and the Biden Administration to conduct a broader assessment for the best placement of infrastructure and border technology. Time and time again research and observation have found that walls are not the only nor the best way to protect the border, whereas surveillance towers, patrols, and other mechanisms have been proven to be effective. 

Rather than expend valuable federal resources on building a wall, we urge the Biden Administration to redirect the appropriated funds to well-thought-out border security projects and to work to remove any unfinished projects from areas in or around national wildlife refuges. These measures will help ensure the safety and security of biologically diverse areas in the United States and Mexico.

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