In October of 2007 Houston Audubon submitted comments to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the Rio Grande Valley stating its concerns about the border fence planned by Homeland Security. Concerns listed in the letter were based on construction and maintenance activities that would disrupt or destroy migratory bird nesting efforts (a violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act) and the clearing of more than 500 acres of land in an area that has already sustained 95% loss of native vegetation. The HAS letter further pointed out that essential riparian corridor habitat for migratory birds would be destroyed or fragmented by the proposed land clearing for fences, patrol roads, and installation of lights for the tactical infrastructure. HAS concluded its comments by requesting that a thorough and complete cost/benefit analysis be conducted on alternatives that do not include the destruction of habitat and construction of the wall as planned.

Further concerns have arisen since that time, in particular the effects that the wall will have on the 557-acre Sabal Palm Audubon Center owned and managed by Audubon Texas in the lower Rio Grande Delta. The wall as currently planned will essentially fence off Audubon's Sabal Palm Center and other spans of critical wildlife habitat. According to Audubon Texas, the wall "will have disastrous unintended consequences for wildlife, nature-based tourism, and community education efforts in the lower Rio Grande Valley and could force closure of the Center." Audubon Texas has issued a statement declaring that it cannot support the proposed wall as described in preliminary reports, and Houston Audubon joins Audubon Texas in that position.

Full Statement by Audubon Texas

Audubon Action Alert and Online Petition