Once again, I believe the GOP is seeking to relax government regulations by using national security as a guise, and this time the environment will pay for it. Ignoring environmental regulations is not the answer to illegal immigration. In fact, a report by the GAO found that many border patrol agents feel their ability to do their job is unaffected by environmental protections. So why is this legislation necessary? I think it is important that we take a look at who is really benefiting from this bill. What companies and people will increase profits from being able to easily degrade the environment?

Allowing this shortsighted bill to pass would be detrimental to the 15 national parks and other public lands along the border. We need to ask ourselves, are we willing to sacrifice our nation's long-term environmental health for legislation that may or may not aid efforts to reduce illegal immigration? I, for one, am not.

Lauren Wolfe

Bellingham