Washington, D.C. (October 18, 2023) – The Center for Immigration Studies highlighted the Biden administration’s bypassing of obligations under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in Congressional testimony today. The hearing, “Securing Our Border, Saving Our National Parks,” was held by the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources. It stems from concern that the environmental damage caused by illegal immigration could extend beyond the border to national parks and other federal land throughout the U.S., including the National Park Service land in New York where the Biden administration approved a migrant camp.

In her testimony, Julie Axelrod, the Center’s director of litigation, explained how NEPA was designed to encourage environmentally-conscious decision-making. It mandates evaluation of the consequences of population growth -- including increased traffic congestion, energy consumption, and encroachment on wildlife habitats.

Axelrod underscored that NEPA compliance goes beyond national parks: “The administration failed to conduct NEPA on the actions that created the migrant crisis in the first place. NEPA requires federal agencies to prepare environmental impact statements and hold public hearings for all ‘major federal actions significantly affecting the quality of the human environment.’ It has no exceptions for immigration.”

Axelrod underscored that the Biden administration’s open-border policies significantly impact the environment, contrary to its purported environmental protection measures, and called for urgent consideration of the resulting environmental consequences.