Declare National Emergency & Stop Mexico’s Sewage!

The San Diego-Tijuana River Valley crisis is one of the most severe environmental and human rights challenges facing the United States. Communities in South San Diego, Imperial Beach, San Ysidro, and Coronado are suffering from extreme pollution caused by billions of gallons of untreated sewage and toxic chemicals, including hydrogen cyanide, flowing from Mexico into U.S. territory every year. This ongoing disaster has led to significant health risks, economic losses, and irreversible environmental damage, yet the national response remains inadequate. The Tijuana River, running along the U.S.-Mexico border, is the primary channel for this cross-border pollution. It floods U.S. land with raw sewage and toxins, resulting in over 1,000 days of beach closures, poor air quality, and long-term environmental harm. Local residents endure these impacts daily due to decades of neglect by both U.S. and Mexican authorities. The SB 507 plan, introduced during the Biden administration, has worsened the crisis by increasing Mexican sewage flows into U.S. waters by 480%. This plan has created permanent fecal sludge ponds in San Diego parks and imposed a $9 million annual cost on California taxpayers to manage the waste. It contradicts the 2019 Trump-era EPA initiative, which aimed to reduce cross-border sewage flows and hold Mexico accountable. We call on President Trump and Congress to declare a national emergency to address this crisis. The U.S. must allocate resources to clean up the Tijuana River, invest in wastewater treatment infrastructure, and hold Mexico accountable for its role in the pollution. A permanent, sustainable solution is urgently needed to protect public health and the environment.