Toxic sewage entering U.S. border communities from Mexico has prompted California lawmakers to urgently urge President Trump to declare a national emergency. Local officials are looking to Trump for answers after years of environmental destruction and inaction from the Biden administration. The crisis has resulted in the closure of beaches for more than 800 days and the release of hundreds of billions of gallons of raw sewage into American territory.
Border Communities Suffer as Sewage Crisis Worsens
The California State Assembly is advancing legislation that would formally request President Trump to declare a state of emergency to address the pollution disaster in the Tijuana River Valley. Assembly Joint Resolution 16 received unanimous support in committee and is now heading to the whole assembly for a vote, signaling strong bipartisan recognition of the severity of this international environmental crisis.
San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond showing Mexico floods California with raw sewage “It's absolutely disgusting”
“This has been going on for decades. Sewage water pouring across from Mexico with all sorts of other garbage. Tires, plastics, diapers, anything you can think of… pic.twitter.com/sljGkdhoKb
— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) March 31, 2025
Over 200 billion gallons of toxic wastewater have flowed from Mexico into California since 2018, contaminating communities like Imperial Beach and southern San Diego. The pollution has forced extended beach closures, severely impacted tourism, and created serious health risks for residents, with recent studies confirming significant bacterial pollution even in the air of affected areas.
Biden Administration Failure Prompts Trump Appeal
Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre has criticized the Biden administration for repeatedly refusing to declare a state of emergency, despite multiple appeals and White House visits. Even California Governor Gavin Newsom has failed to take decisive action, although he appeared for a photo opportunity at the groundbreaking of a wastewater treatment plant in the affected area.
The Mexico raw sewage flowing into America is so much worse than we were told
🚨 10 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY is flowing into San Diego from Mexico
San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond “There's approximately 5 to 10 million gallons a day that bypass the treatment plant and… pic.twitter.com/pRtg9UJsJr
— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) June 5, 2025
In contrast, Lee Zeldin, Trump’s EPA administrator, has already visited the affected areas and strongly urged Mexico to implement immediate solutions to the sewage problem. The White House has confirmed Trump is taking “a whole of government approach to tackle the Tijuana River sewage crisis” by coordinating the EPA, State Department, and U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission to negotiate comprehensive solutions with Mexico.
Public Health Emergency Demands Federal Response
The crisis extends beyond just water pollution, as the New River, which runs through Calexico, is also heavily contaminated with industrial waste and chemicals flowing from Mexico. Research has linked numerous serious health issues to the pollution, creating an urgent public health emergency that has persisted for decades while federal authorities under previous administrations have largely ignored the problem.
“Enough is enough. Border communities like Imperial Beach, San Ysidro, and Calexico should not be treated as sacrifice zones. This is not just a water issue—study upon study have found that it is a public health emergency, which demands a national response. We are calling on President Donald J. Trump and Congress to act with urgency and scale that this disaster demands.”
The bill seeks explicit full funding for an Environmental Protection Agency infrastructure plan that would prevent sewage spills and beach closures, provide support for treatment facilities, and secure federal investment to address pollution in the New River. Imperial Beach has been in a declared state of emergency since 2017 due to pollution risks, demonstrating the persistence of this crisis despite inadequate federal intervention.
Sources:
https://www.newsweek.com/californians-call-donald-trump-declare-state-emergency-2093647