A pending trade war triggered jitters on Wall Street on Feb. 3. File art: President Donald J. Trump speaks to a crowd during a visit to Dana Incorporated in Warren, Michigan on Thursday, January 30, 2020. Trump visited the state after signing a revised U.S. Mexico Canada Trade Agreement.
San Diego, California – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has issued a controversial waiver allowing construction of additional border barriers in Southern California, bypassing dozens of environmental regulations—even as illegal crossings in the area have sharply declined.
The waiver, signed Tuesday by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, enables the federal government to expedite construction of approximately 2.5 miles of wall about 70 miles southeast of San Diego, near Jacumba Hot Springs. Officials say the project will help “cut through bureaucratic delays” and is intended to support national security efforts.
“This waiver clears the path for the rapid deployment of physical barriers where they are needed most, reinforcing our commitment to national security and the rule of law,” Homeland Security said in a statement.
It marks the first environmental waiver of President Donald Trump’s second term and comes as his administration pushes forward with plans to complete roughly 1,400 miles of uninterrupted border barrier. Since Trump’s inauguration on January 20, U.S. Border Patrol has built over 50 miles of new or reinforced wall.
Despite the administration’s urgency, illegal crossings in the targeted area have significantly dropped. The once-popular crossing point near Jacumba Hot Springs has quieted after a spike in migration last year. The decline is largely attributed to stepped-up enforcement by Mexican authorities and new U.S. asylum restrictions enacted under President Joe Biden in June 2024, which further tightened following Trump’s return to office.
Environmental groups have denounced the waiver, warning that the decision threatens fragile ecosystems and undermines long-standing protections. Earthjustice, an environmental advocacy organization, blasted the move as short-sighted and destructive.
“Waiving environmental, cultural preservation, and good governance laws… will only cause further harm to border communities and ecosystems,” said Cameron Walkup of Earthjustice. The affected region includes critical habitats for dozens of rare and endemic plant species.
While Border Patrol Deputy Chief David BeMiller reported ongoing enforcement—roughly 220 arrests daily for illegal crossings—critics argue the new construction is unnecessary and comes at a high environmental cost.
As construction begins, the clash between immigration enforcement and environmental preservation once again takes center stage in California’s borderlands.
