Border community sounds alarm as border wall construction continues in Arizona-Sonora

Versión en español

NOGALES, Ariz. – Arizona's San Rafael Valley once again became a focal point of resistance as citizens, activists and representatives from various organizations gathered to voice their opposition to the construction of 27 miles of border wall.

Voices on both sides of the border rose up to defend biodiversity, the landscape and the bonds that unite the two communities. 

This was not the first time this corner of southern Arizona served as a stage for protest. Each gathering in this area of ​​the San Rafael Valley and Lochiel has strengthened the bonds between neighbors who, beyond the dividing line, share environmental concerns.

During a weekend in February, residents of Arizona and Sonora, Mexico, came together across the wall, a short distance from where the new wall is being built. At the meeting place, steel structures approximately four feet high that serve as the boundary between the two countries, resembles a common fence between one ranch and another.

It was a cool morning, and under the shade of some trees, the attendees shared stories. Some of them brought their dogs, which ran and crossed from one country to the other without any problem.

The purpose of the Feb. 21 meeting was to be present and see what has been done at the construction site, which was approved by the federal government in 2025. 

The project is being led by Fisher Sand & Gravel Company, which has been contracted to build a 30-foot-high wall that will stretch 27 miles. According to data from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the investment exceeds $300 million. Work will continue until 2027 to complete the construction.

Erick Meza, a member of the Sierra Club, commented that the protest — a four-day encampment — was not organized by any groups or non-profits; they simply attended as members of the community concerned about what is happening in the area.

Workshops and forums were held where people learned about the local flora and fauna, geology and history, Meza shared.

Raising their voices for border wildlife well-being

Some of the attendees were members of vocal conservation organizations like the Sierra Club and Sky Island Alliance, but on this occasion, they attended for personal reasons. 

Eamon Harrity, a member of the Sky Island Alliance working on wildlife conservation in the border region, shared that the organization uses camera traps to analyze how wildlife moves near the border wall. These capture photos and record videos when movement is detected, allowing researchers to analyze the wall's impact.

"The wall does have an impact on the animals," Harrity said.

At the meeting point, where there isn't a high wall, animals like deer, wild boars and coatis frequently cross. Just over a mile out, animals cannot cross due to the presence of an elevated wall. Animal crossings decrease by up to 85 percent in areas with a wall, he indicated.

Harrity added that the wall prevents animals from reaching food and water, finding mates to reproduce or finding a safe place. Over the years, populations will change because the animals are not surviving, he commented.

In 30, 50 or 100 years even genetics will change, and there is already evidence of genetic changes in populations where walls exist, both in Europe and the United States, Harrity explained.

The proposal from different organizations is to install wildlife crossings along the wall and, in the sections where streams cross the border, the government can install gates that remain open so that animals can cross year-round.

As of Feb. 21, five miles of the planned 27-mile wall had been built, he explained.

After the gathering, they took a photograph holding a banner that read “Friends Across Borders” as they passed over a small steel structure — the border between the two countries — held by community members on both sides.