border-wall-reconciliation-bill-opposition-letter-20250521-final-ae7548d29d5e9ed7.pdf

A coalition of organizations opposes a proposed $46.5 billion allocation for U.S. border wall construction, arguing that existing barriers have wasted billions of taxpayer dollars, harmed border communities, and destroyed biodiverse ecosystems. The letter highlights the lack of effectiveness of the wall, the violation of tribal and private land rights, and the systematic waiving of 83 federal laws to expedite construction. The signatories urge Congress to instead fund remediation of existing damage and rescind the REAL ID Act waivers.

• The proposed budget reconciliation bill seeks to allocate $46.5 billion for border wall and barrier systems, which represents nearly 250% more than the total historical spending on such construction in the United States. To date, approximately $18.74 billion has been spent on these barriers.
• The border wall has caused significant environmental and ecological damage, including the destruction of habitats and the blocking of migration routes for over 1,500 plants and animals, including 83 species listed under the Endangered Species Act such as the jaguar, ocelot, and Mexican wolf. A 2024 camera study on the Arizona border showed an 86% reduction in wildlife crossings compared to areas with vehicle barriers.
• Construction of the wall has negatively impacted human communities and tribal lands, creating artificial levees that exacerbate flooding and destroying sacred tribal cultural sites and burial grounds. In Texas, nineteen communities from El Paso to Brownsville have passed resolutions opposing the wall.
• The Secretary of Homeland Security has used authority granted by the 2005 REAL ID Act to waive 83 laws to expedite construction, including environmental laws, procurement and contracting laws, and laws protecting Native Americans and religious freedom.

APA

Earthjustice (2025). border-wall-reconciliation-bill-opposition-letter-20250521-final-ae7548d29d5e9ed7.pdf. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/border-wall-reconciliation-bill-opposition-letter-20250521-final.pdf

Chicago

Earthjustice. border-wall-reconciliation-bill-opposition-letter-20250521-final-ae7548d29d5e9ed7.pdf. 2025. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/border-wall-reconciliation-bill-opposition-letter-20250521-final.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Earthjustice |title=border-wall-reconciliation-bill-opposition-letter-20250521-final-ae7548d29d5e9ed7.pdf |date=21 May 2025 |url=https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/border-wall-reconciliation-bill-opposition-letter-20250521-final.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{earthjustice2025borderwallreconciliationbilloppositionletter20250521finalae7548d29d5e9ed7pdf, author = {{Earthjustice}}, title = {{border-wall-reconciliation-bill-opposition-letter-20250521-final-ae7548d29d5e9ed7.pdf}}, publisher = {Earthjustice}, year = {2025}, month = may, url = {https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/border-wall-reconciliation-bill-opposition-letter-20250521-final.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }