Preserving the Border Insecurity Environment

By James R. Edwards, Jr. on December 28, 2010

The latest flare-up of border security versus environmental preservation is happening along the southwest border in New Mexico. The pernicious proposal to consolidate 250,000 acres of wilderness preserve would worsen things for border enforcement, ease the lawbreaking of illegal border crossers, and actually put the area's natural resources at greater risk.

Misguided environmentalists who back this proposal fail to grasp the raw deal for the environment that they are party to erecting. If it becomes even tougher for the Border Patrol to do its job in that location, it makes things immensely easier for smugglers to breach the border, cross the terrain supposedly preserved for plants and animals, and degrade the very area environmentalists wish to protect.

Today, the situation is irrational and untenable. The Border Patrol must ask Interior Department personnel for permission to enter public nature preserves. The very laws and regulations intended to protect our national resources end up giving cartels and illegal aliens a decided advantage – and they show no regard for protecting our environment.

Think otherwise? Then you haven't seen these videos here, here, and here.

The lunacy of this latest proposal is highlighted by someone who should know: "Gene Wood, a retired Border Patrol agent who once ran the agency's San Diego station, said it'd be easy for immigrants to hustle through the first five miles and melt into the desert. Once they exited the wilderness, they could reach the interstate and move out across the country."

In fact, beefing up border security – both physical barriers and law enforcement personnel and activity – would do more to protect and preserve natural habitat than ill-conceived environmental policies. Read here how the border barrier has improved the environment and protected it against illegal crossers' degradation.