U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) has joined Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Mike Lee (R-Utah) in introducing the Border Lands Conservation Act (S.2967). The legislation aims to address damage to public lands linked to illegal border crossings along the southern U.S. border during the Biden administration.
Senator Hyde-Smith, who has visited the southern border and observed damage firsthand, said, “The unchecked surge in illegal border crossings during the Biden years damaged sensitive public lands and private property. I’ve seen the accumulated trash and waste that is diminishing access to public lands, parks, and forests, and left us with public safety risks and threats to the natural heritage that belongs to all Americans. We cannot ignore the price to be paid by years of reckless open border policies, which is why I welcome Chairman Lee’s legislation to give us the necessary tools to set things right.”
Chairman Lee commented on current conditions at national parks near the border: “Biden’s open-border chaos is destroying America’s crown jewels. Families who want to enjoy a safe hike or campout are instead finding trash piles, burned landscapes, and trails closed because rangers are stuck cleaning up the fallout. Cartels are exploiting the disorder, using these lands as cover for their operations. This bill gives land managers and border agents the tools to restore order and protect these places for the people they were meant to serve.”
Grant Newman, Director of Government Relations for the Immigration Accountability Project, added support for S.2967: “For years, restricted access to federal land has hindered immigration enforcement, leading to unchecked illegal crossings and severe environmental damage from trash, illegal trails, and wildfires caused by illegal aliens. Senator Lee’s Border Lands Conservation Act would resolve jurisdictional conflicts between agencies by granting the Department of Homeland Security the authority and access necessary to gain operational control of the border. The Immigration Accountability Project is happy to support this effort.”
Illegal crossings on or near federal lands have resulted in increased debris such as trash and abandoned vehicles as well as unauthorized roads and trails. These activities have also heightened wildfire risk and forced trail closures while diverting park rangers from conservation work toward cleanup efforts.
The bill was introduced with additional original cosponsors including Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), and Rick Scott (R-Fla.).
