Illegal immigrants wreak havoc on the delicate desert environment in Arizona; fencing or walls only make it worse.
Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge is "a tragic juncture of geography and politics. If the refuge didn't share nearly six miles of borderline with Mexico, it likely wouldn't host up to 3,000 illegal migrants and smugglers on any given night. Nor would it have 500 tons of trash yearly from that commerce, or an army of Border Patrol agents rumbling about in their trucks and ATVs."
Stephen Mumme, a border environmental management expert at Colorado State University, claims: "The Border Patrol made a raw calculation that the politics of immigration -- and the political support for the agency -- would be strengthened by moving immigration out of the high-density areas." So people are forced to attempt border crossings in remote rural areas. In the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge near Ajo, Arizona, heavy illegal immigration harasses already endangered wildlife such as lesser long-nosed bats and Sonoran pronghorn.
Meanwhile, Homeland Security does not require the presence of environmental experts to consider environmental impacts of infrastructure at the border. According to Jenny Neeley from Defenders of Wildlife: "Proposals like 700 miles of fencing or walls would absolutely devastate the border environment."
FULL STORY: Borderline Tragedy

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

Car Designs Make it Harder to See Pedestrians
Blind spots created by thicker pillars built to withstand rollover crashes are creating dangerous conditions for people outside vehicles.

Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions
An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.

What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?
The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie