U.S.-Mexico border fence: Policy solutions

Nearly one-third of U.S. land along this border lies in public hands, including national wildlife refuges, national parks, and national forests. The border fence currently cuts through places like Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, home to over 500 species of plants, 50 species of mammals, and nearly 300 species of birds.

Fencing and walls, though doing little to stop human migration, are severing migration routes and destroying thousands of acres of wildlife habitat. In the summer of 2008, barriers resulted in extensive flooding at Organ Pipe and also in Nogales, Mexico, contributing to the deaths of two people.

Opposition to construction of the border fence comes not only from those interested in protecting the environment, but also from private property owners, business owners, and local governments. Many local community leaders are concerned about this wall because it will divide up properties and create public safety issues, making it difficult for US residents to access their farmland or homes between the fence and the actual border.