Border Fence Blamed for Ariz. Flooding

Dozens dumped to speed building

(NEWSER) - Homeland Security is ditching environmental laws in a push to finish 670 miles of border fence along Mexico by the end of this year, reports the Los Angeles Times. Congress has approved a waiver for more than 30 environmental and cultural laws to accelerate building. Critics say the plans are being pushed through without proper assessment and will endanger wildlife. More»

State lawmakers launch website to seek donations

(NEWSER) - It's a long way to $50 million, but Arizona lawmakers are happy with the first day's results of their pitch for donations to build a border fence. Their newly launched website got 884 online donations for a total of about $39,000 in its first 17 hours, reports the AP . Republican state Sen. Steve Smith wants to raise at least $50 million to put a secure wall along the Mexican border. Arizona Republic columnist EJ Montini, however, thinks it's a pie-in-the-sky ruse on the part of lawmakers to distract the public from their scandals. More»

(NEWSER) - The Supreme Court has refused to hear a challenge to the completion of the border fence between the US and Mexico, Fox News reports. Environmental groups, an Indian tribe, and the city of El Paso brought the challenge, contending that a fence will cut off access to the Rio Grande for religious, cultural, and municipal purposes. The Obama administration had encouraged the court to reject the case. More»

Many resist federal efforts, but judges order them to give up

(NEWSER) - Americans on the southern US border are fuming over a federal fence that threatens to cut their properties in two, the Washington Post reports. The feds have erected about 165 miles of fence in the West and southwest, but some families, protecting land they have held for generations, are turning back surveyors. "This is the land that gave me my life and my spirit," one landowner said. "I will fight this all the way." More»

Only New Mexico's shows up to meet Mexican counterparts

(NEWSER) - The governors of border states in the US and Mexico have been holding a conference to discuss cross-border issues every year for 30 years, but the tradition appears to be withering, the AP finds. New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez was the only one of the four US border state governors to make an appearance this year. Arizona's Jan Brewer and California's Jerry Brown cited pressing issues to deal with in their states, while Rick Perry is away from Texas and on the campaign trail. More»