Senator John McCain
241 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Senator Jon Kyl
730 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senators McCain and Kyl,

I am writing as a constituent concerned with the direction of the US Border Patrol’s activities in our state. The build-up of infrastructure and personnel along our border with Mexico lowers the quality of life for our citizens, destroys the environment we cherish, and forces migrants to enter the United States through inhospitable stretches of desert, increasing the chances they will die. I believe that the only way to fix this problem is to pass comprehensive immigration reform legislation that will provide for an orderly flow of immigrants to the US, reduce the need for such heavy Border Patrol presence in our backyard, and reduce the number of migrant deaths.

In the past 10 years, official Border Patrol statistics show that illegal migration through Arizona has more than quadrupled. It is not coincidence that this increase coincides with the implementation of Operation Gatekeeper in San Diego, California and Operation Hold the Line in El Paso, Texas. These were once the primary corridors for immigrants into the US. The Border Patrol gambled that if they closed off these corridors, migrants would not risk death in the desert to reach the US. They were wrong. Now, as these areas have been fenced off and heavily fortified, migrants have moved to Arizona – risking their lives to clean our homes and wash our dishes.

Because the Border Patrol has forced migration corridors right through Arizona, they are now looking for solutions to keep migrants out of our state. However, they plan to use the same tactics that failed in California and Texas. Most disturbing is the plan to build over 255 miles of fencing and supporting infrastructure along our border. I strongly oppose this construction of border fencing in Arizona. Building this fencing will only shift the migration problem to other border areas, and in the process it will scar our land and divide our communities.

My concerns about the proposed fence include:

• Immigrant Deaths: the fence would force migrants now entering the United States through Arizona into inhospitable stretches of the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts. Over 2000 migrants have died due to environmental exposure since 1996, and forcing them into these desert areas would increase the number of deaths.
  
• Environmental Damage: According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the fence would run through 27 ecologically unique sites, including the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area, the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge and the San Bernardino National Wildlife Refuge. This could cause the bisection of migration routes and habitats for endangered species such as the jaguar, oscelot, jaguarondi, sonoran pronghorn, as well as endangered species of birds, bats, and reptiles. It would also cause extensive damage to rare plant species.
  
• Native American Concerns: The fence would bisect the Tohono O’odham Nation, whose territory extends through Arizona into Mexico. Approximately half of the Tohono Nation lives in Mexico. Fence construction on the reservation would cut off Tohono travel routes.
  
• Cost Effectiveness: The multi-million dollar expense of a fence will not be an effective use of money. The intensification of Border Patrol activities along the Mexican border since 1996 has not decreased the number of migrants entering the U.S, and fencing projects throughout the border region have also failed to deter migrants.
  
• Public Relations: The proposed border fence would be 2 ½ times longer than the Berlin Wall and would be longer than any existing border fence in the world. Fence construction would completely reverse the Bush Administration’s positive dialogue with Mexico regarding immigration accords, instead sending a signal that we fear our neighbors to the south.

Comprehensive immigration accords that recognize the US demand for Mexican labor, and that provide for the safe and orderly migration of Mexican migrants through our border is the only solution to stemming the flow of illegal migrants through our state. Three years ago, President Bush supported a dialogue with Mexico to accomplish this goal. I am asking you to oppose the construction of fencing and other infrastructure along our border with Mexico, and instead work with the President to get the issue of immigration reform back on the table, and to get effective immigration reform legislation passed.

Sincerely,

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cc: Congressman Raul Grijalva
Congressman Jim Kolbe