Impact of the Border Wall on Wildlife

Construction Underway:  The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has begun construction to expand the border wall across Arizona and Texas. They are constructing the wall through two highly sensitive areas — the San Rafael Valley and the Lower Rio Grande Valley. 

Reckless and Lawless:  To speed up construction, DHS has issued waivers to bypass environmental reviews. This means that DHS is ignoring the Endangered Species Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, NEPA, and the Clean Water Act.

Legal Challenge:  Conservation groups have filed a lawsuit challenging these waivers. They argue that these waivers are illegal and they will sever critical wildlife corridors. 

Wildlife Corridors Severed:  Many species like jaguars, ocelots, and pronghorns depend on connectivity between the U.S. and Mexico. The border wall blocks their movements and essentially severs their habitat. Scientists warn this could lead to local extinctions. 

Arizona Resources Impacted:  In Arizona, the wall will cut through the San Rafael Valley in the state's Sky Island region. This is a biodiversity hotspot and critical wildlife corridor. It is the last remaining area in the U.S. where jaguars still roam free. It is also home to the federally endangered ocelot which number less than 50 in the U.S. The wall will cross the Santa Cruz river twice.

Texas Resources Impacted:  In Texas, the wall will cross 13 tracts of the Lower Rio Grande National Wildlife Refuge. A biodiversity hotspot, the refuge is home to over 500 species of bird. It is also home to the endangered ocelot.

Environmental & Legal Waivers:  The environmental review process exists for a reason. It ensures that projects minimize their negative impacts to things we care about like endangered species, rivers, and cultural sites. By invoking waivers, the government is bypassing these environmental reviews. This means the border wall will likely cause much worse impacts than if the project followed the law. 

• Get involved with the organizations that are dealing with the impacts of border wall construction on wildlife in Arizona and Texas.  
• Center for Biological Diversity is leading the current legal challenge to the border wall in Arizona. 
• In Arizona, Sky Island Alliance is the local nonprofit focused on conservation of the Sky Island region. The organization is conducting scientific research and public outreach on the border wall's impact on the area.