February 22, 2022

"Republicans have been clamoring for Biden to close gaps in the wall that have become busy crossing points for migrants and smugglers."

"In some locations those spaces are a few feet across, but they’re far wider in others, and it’s unclear what the Biden administration will consider closing a gap vs. building new barriers.... Looming over Biden’s repair plan is the possibility Trump could run for office again, whipping up crowds with chants of 'Finish the Wall!' and promises to bring back the bulldozers. Trump built 450 miles of new barriers during his term but had plans for at least 250 more.... In the scramble to build as quickly as possible before Biden took office, construction crews in several areas of southern Arizona skipped over locations that required additional engineering or custom wall panels.... One span of the barrier east of Sasabe, Ariz., has two dozen gaps in the wall and other segments with misshapen, temporary panels welded to the structure like patches. Myles Traphagen, a conservation biologist who has mapped and documented the impact of border wall construction using motion-activated wildlife cameras,

wants the Biden administration to leave the gaps open to provide a minimal degree of safe passage for large animals. When a Mexican gray wolf with a radio collar headed south last fall, it hit the barrier and walked parallel to it for miles before eventually turning back. The young male wolf, nicknamed Mr. Goodbar, later suffered a gunshot wound that resulted in a leg amputation. CBP says its remediation will add more wildlife openings in the barrier, but Traphagen says they’re too small for species like wolves, jaguar, bighorn sheep, ocelot or Sonoran pronghorn to cross. 'Nothing larger than a rabbit is going to use them,' he said. 'It’s only a veneer of environmental compliance.” “The majority of the remediation work they’re planning is occurring to support existing border wall infrastructure, not for ecological restoration,' Traphagen said."

From "Where Trump’s border wall left deep scars and open gaps, Biden plans repair job" (WaPo).

32 comments:

tim in vermont said...

We heard about the wolf, now talk about the trafficked women and children, and the fentanyl, for starters, and the people who have died in the desert because if this "attractive nuisance."

Will Cate said...

"Biden repairs Trump's scars and gaps."

Nah, no bias going on here

David Begley said...

Biden won’t do a thing. Hunter is being paid by the cartels and Joe is getting half.

Iman said...

A nation will not survive without effective, defensible borders.

Democrats are unsustainable.

wendybar said...

He never should have stopped building it, and he should NEVER have invited illegals up here. There are estimates of 2 million illegals that got into our country, that WE now have to pay for. We have to pay for multiple translators for the many languages spoken when they attend public schools for example. School systems don't have the money for that, when they don't have the money to buy pencils and paper for American students. I agree with DeSantis...any illegal should be sent to Delaware, Marthas Vineyard, DC, San Francisco, Nancy's Winery in Napa, ect..ect...ectt....Let Progressives deal with the mess THEY made.

BUMBLE BEE said...

Joe's re-election slogan for 2024? He da Man!

Jersey Fled said...

WHAT!

MikeR said...

Ridiculous. Small gaps that no one is allowed to fix. What does that say about a country?

Kevin said...

Looming over Biden’s repair plan is the possibility Trump could run for office again, whipping up crowds with chants of 'Finish the Wall!' and promises to bring back the bulldozers.

Dems 2016-2020: Can't sleep because Trump is President.

Dems 2020-2024: Can't sleep because Trump is going to be President again.

Christopher B said...

Building a wall won't work, and Slo Joe is gonna fix it so it will.

dbp said...

"Myles Traphagen, a conservation biologist who has mapped and documented the impact of border wall construction using motion-activated wildlife cameras, wants the Biden administration to leave the gaps open to provide a minimal degree of safe passage for large animals."

Myles is making us biologists look stupid. If you're going to leave gaps large enough for large animals, why bother building a wall in the first place?

What's emanating from your penumbra said...

The wolf got shot. Blame Trump.

What's emanating from your penumbra said...

"Myles Traphagen, a conservation biologist who has mapped and documented the impact of border wall construction using motion-activated wildlife cameras..."

This is meaningless but I bet WaPoo's readers are impressed.

Earnest Prole said...

Over the weekend Democrats panicked not only because they see 2022 and 2024 as looming disasters but because polling increasingly indicates the demographic inevitability of a progressive majority is an illusion. From the good people at the Brookings Institution:

“Democrats must consider the possibility that Hispanics will turn out to be the Italians of the 21st century — family oriented, religious, patriotic, striving to succeed in their adopted country and supportive of public policies that expand economic opportunity without dictating results. . . . The phrase ‘people of color’ assembles highly diverse groups under a single banner. The belief that they will march together depends on assumptions that are questionable at best.”

As Hispanic immigrants increasingly adopt the attitudes and voting patterns of the white working class, expect Democrats to have second thoughts about wide-open borders.

Howard said...

EP is right. As my brother has been saying for 40-years, scratch a Latin American and you find a Fascist.

Original Mike said...

"Democrats must consider the possibility that Hispanics will turn out to be the Italians of the 21st century — family oriented, religious, patriotic, "

IOW, not democrats.

Earnest Prole said...

As my brother has been saying for 40-years, scratch a Latin American and you find a Fascist.

I have a brother who thinks brown people are scary, but it would never occur to me to boast about it.

Amadeus 48 said...

"As Hispanic immigrants increasingly adopt the attitudes and voting patterns of the white working class, expect Democrats to have second thoughts about wide-open borders."

A political party that wants 90+ percent of black votes cannot sustain an open border policy over the long term...can it?

MadTownGuy said...

From the article:

"Myles Traphagen, a conservation biologist who has mapped and documented the impact of border wall construction using motion-activated wildlife cameras,wants the Biden administration to leave the gaps open to provide a minimal degree of safe passage for large animals."

"Conservation biologist." Sure.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

democrats opened the border to illegal entrants. On purpose.

Then they blame all their woes on Trump.

Ceciliahere said...

This story makes my blood boil.
I’m an animal lover and want “protected” wildlife to live in their habitat without being threatened. Endangered species should be considered when building barriers. However, it isn’t possible to protect every animal in the wild.
However, I value human life more than I value animal life. I read about crimes committed by illegals who cross the border at will into this country and in too many cases go on to commit heinous crimes against U.S. citizens. Too many Americans have been killed in drunk driving incidents involving illegals. Too many American children have been molested/raped by illegals. Too many Americans have been murdered, assaulted, and have their property stolen or damaged by illegals. And saddest of all, too many Americans have died from overdoses because illegals bring this shit into our country.
So, as much as I sympathize with the wolf that had a leg amputated, it cannot be compared to human life that has been affected by the absence of a barrier protecting our border and our citizens.
This is a bullshit story published to make excuses for not having a solid barrier on our southern border. These people want animals protected but they fail to mention protecting people, especially helpless children.
F***k them.

Joe Smith said...

The Germans know a bit about building walls...give them a call.

Chris Lopes said...

"As my brother has been saying for 40-years, scratch a Latin American and you find a Fascist."

So now Hispanics are part of the whole "you people" thing. What other races are you willing to throw under the bus to protect what you won't bother to defend with actual arguments Howard? What other punch bowls are you willing shit in?

NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...

dbp said...

Myles is making us biologists look stupid. If you're going to leave gaps large enough for large animals, why bother building a wall in the first place?

How much you want to bet that Myles has never thought to study the effects of large scale illegal immigration on desert wildlife and if you suggested that he should, he'd run away screaming?

Meade said...

I strongly second what Ceciliahere said.

Critter said...

Convenient argument against the wall for its opponents. Yet protection for birds is never mentioned with regard to bird killing windmills. Americans are becoming aware of this hypocrisy and fake concern for wildlife from the Left.

Howard said...

EP: he doesn't find it scary at all. It's just an observation. Most of the Mexican neighbors and guys I've worked with were pretty conservative. The use of "fascist" is hyperbolic sarcastic humor.

Howard said...

Chris: your snowflake is showing.

walter said...

Mr. Goodbar loves the occasional table scrap fed Pug.
Yum!

Iman said...

“As my brother has been saying for 40-years, scratch a Latin American and you find a Fascist.”

Meh… you low-T “people”. Sounds like your brother’s needle is stuck, whereas you carry on as some sort of needle-dicked insect copulator. Sad.

Howard said...

Ouch. That's hitting below the belt, Imam

Leora said...

I notice they avoided the word "coyote" in the concerns of the wildlife biologist. I never heard there were jaguars as far north as Texas.