Omnibus deal still a danger to borderlands

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- In a rush to avoid another government shutdown, members of Congress have proposed an omnibus deal that fortunately falls short of Trump’s outrageous requests to fully fund his wall, but still includes $1.6 billion for border walls along the U.S.- Mexico border. A significant portion of the funding is designated for 33 miles of new barriers that can be built as levee-walls or existing “bollard fence. Levee-walls and bollard fences have created flooding disasters in border states, blocked wildlife migration and posed harm to communities.

Importantly, a funding limitation specifies that new wall cannot be constructed in the Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge, but unfortunately, still leaves other natural areas like the National Butterfly Center and communities of people in the area at risk.

In response, Sierra Club Borderlands Campaign Co-Chair Scott Nicol released the following statement:

“This omnibus deal fails to protect Dreamers, while funding a dangerous and divisive border wall that will have detrimental effects on our Southwest communities. While it preserves the Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge for the time being, it still risks people and places nearby. The threats are still very real and will be felt by communities.

“This wall is much more than a racist campaign soundbite. It comes with dangerous health and safety waivers. Foregoing these bedrock and bipartisan laws has resulted in flooding in places like Nogales where people lost their lives, the destruction of Native American burial sites and the harm of dozens of endangered species and fragmented habitat. Most concerningly, there is zero accountability or consequence for these outcomes.

“It makes no sense to spend nearly $2 billion on an unnecessary and cruel border wall. We will continue to stand against this wall and attacks on immigrants.”