HYDE-SMITH JOINS FIGHT AGAINST BIDEN’S BORDER CHAOS THAT’S STILL WRECKING AMERICAN PARKS & PUBLIC LANDS

HYDE-SMITH JOINS FIGHT AGAINST BIDEN'S BORDER CHAOS THAT'S STILL WRECKING AMERICAN PARKS & PUBLIC LANDS

Having Toured Southern Border During Biden's Illegal Immigrant Surge, Miss. Senator Backs Plan to Set Things Right

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) on Thursday joined Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Mike Lee (R-Utah) in introducing legislation to stop the ongoing damage to public lands related to the millions of illegal entries across the southern border during the Biden administration.

The Border Lands Conservation Act (S.2967) would restore order, protect national parks from decades of abuse, and give federal, state, and local officers the tools to secure the border.

"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," said Senator Hyde-Smith, who witnessed damage to border lands and property during trips to the southern border.

"Biden's open-border chaos is destroying America's crown jewels," said Chairman Lee. "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."

"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," said Grant Newman, Director of Government Relations for the Immigration Accountability Project. "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 often leave behind trash, human waste, abandoned vehicles, and illegal roads and trails. They also increase wildfire risk and force trail and area closures, which diverts rangers from habitat work to nonstop cleanup. Volunteers and land managers are left to haul debris and repair damage instead of keeping parks open, safe, and healthy for families.

The Border Lands Conservation Act would:

• Authorize border access roads on federal lands, coordinated with Customs and Border Protection (CPB) and local partners, to enable agents and first responders to quickly reach problem areas.
• Establish a standing Border Fuels Initiative to reduce hazardous fuels and mitigate illegal-camp wildfire threats.
• Streamline authorities so CBP can conduct security measures in areas with overlapping jurisdictions without needless delay.
• Clarify that conservation lands cannot be used as migrant encampments, preserving resources for visitor access and habitat management.

Read a section-by-section summary here and an overview of the bill and associated issues here.

Additional original cosponsors of S.2967 include U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), and Rick Scott (R-Fla.).

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