Thread: Illegal immigration causing damage on public lands

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Illegal immigration causing damage on public lands
June 16, 2006

RELATED LINKS

Defenders of Wildlife report on immigration policy and effect on Arizona habitat: www.defenders.org/habitat






By Ellyn Ferguson
eferguso@gns.gannett.com

WASHINGTON -- Undocumented immigrants heading north, drug smugglers protecting their goods and law enforcement agents trying to secure the U.S.-Mexico border have damaged wildlife habitats in forests, wildlife refuges, wilderness areas and tribal lands in the Southwest, a lawmaker and several witnesses told a congressional panel Thursday.

They said illegal foot and car traffic has increased on federal and tribal lands as the Border Patrol has built double fences in the San Diego area and cracked down on illegal crossings at Southwest urban areas. People rove along the border looking for isolated areas where they can cross.


Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., who testified before the House appropriations subcommittee on the interior, said the tougher border enforcement had pushed illegal border crossing into his district. He said damage done by undocumented immigrants and smugglers is compounded by law enforcement actions such as "road and wall construction, off-road vehicle patrol and construction of camps and other facilities in wilderness areas." These things "are contributing, I think, to the lasting damage that we're seeing in our public places and our desert landscapes."

Government witnesses said it could take decades to repair sensitive lands scarred by footpaths and roads, destroyed by camp fires and polluted by debris and human excrement left by people entering the United States illegally.

At Coronado National Forest in Arizona, some water sources have been so contaminated by debris that wildlife can no longer use them, said Tina J. Terrell, a forest supervisor.

The roads and trails "destroy cactus and other sensitive vegetation. They destruct wildlife and destroy their habitat. They cause erosion in riparian areas and they destroy cultural and historical resources," said William T. Civish, district manager for the Bureau of Land Management's Gila District in Arizona.

The agency has 8.8 million acres within 100 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border.

Witnesses said crime by gangs, human and drug smugglers and undocumented immigrants also has forced federal land agencies to require staffers to have law enforcement escorts into some areas. People illegally crossing from Mexico into the United States are often robbed or assaulted by border bandits, Terrell said.

In 2005, more than 150,000 pounds of marijuana were seized and 100,000 undocumented immigrants arrested on national wildlife refuges along the border, said Mitch Ellis, manager of the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge in Arizona.

"Have we lost control or are we in danger of losing control (of our border)?" asked Rep. Charles Taylor, chairman of the House appropriations subcommittee on interior.

Taylor, who supports building a fence along the U.S.-Mexico border and tough border enforcement, called the hearing to compile information about damage to federal lands so he could work with other congressional committees and the Bush administration to devise policies to enforce border security while also protecting public and tribal lands.

"Border security and law enforcement problems must be solved first," Taylor said.

Colorado Rep. Thomas Tancredo, a leading advocate of fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border, said a report he commissioned from the Government Accountability Office in 2004 had noted the increasing illegal traffic across the border.

"The situation is dire," Tancredo said.

Have we lost control or are we in danger of losing control (of our border)?" asked Rep. Charles Taylor, chairman of the House appropriations subcommittee on interior.

UM, pay attention WE HAVE NO CONTROL OF OUR BORDERS!!!!!!!

Duh!

"The situation is dire," Tancredo said.

You can say that again.

I sent a letter to McCain and an e-mail to Sensenbrenner regarding this matter....it's certainly something that the latter would keep in mind, but I question McCain and he represents one of the states that are being ravaged.