Border pollution continues to get far worse, with 100 billion gallons of sewage flowing across from Mexico. FILE: Sewage-fouled runoff from the Tijuana River has prompted authorities to issue an ocean-pollution warning for several miles of the shoreline just north of the U.S.-Mexico border near San Ysidro, California, March 31, 2016. (REUTERS/Mike Blake)
Important Takeaways:
- One of the worst environmental and public health crises in America is happening right now in Southern California
- Over the past five years, more than 100 billion gallons of raw sewage, industrial waste and toxic runoff from Tijuana have flooded across the border into our communities. Let that sink in: 100 billion gallons. In 2023 alone, 44 billion gallons crossed into the U.S. — the most ever recorded.
- This sewage isn’t just disgusting — it’s dangerous. It contains E. coli, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, arsenic and other toxic chemicals. Our water is contaminated. Our air is polluted with aerosolized waste. Residents are reporting everything from skin infections to viral pharyngitis — and even family pets have gotten sick after exposure. And some beaches have now been closed for over 1,000 consecutive days. That’s nearly three years of lost access to one of the greatest natural assets in America.
- Millions of taxpayer dollars have been spent. Just like the homelessness crisis, we’ve seen government throw money at the problem with nothing to show for it. The pollution keeps coming. The promises keep breaking. The leadership keeps failing.
- Let’s be honest: Mexico has failed to fix this, and the United States has failed to hold them accountable. Across multiple administrations, we’ve seen weak oversight, delayed action and zero results. That must end.
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