02-07-2025
Californians Call on Donald Trump To Declare State of Emergency
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California state lawmakers have formally requested that President Donald Trump declare a national state of emergency to address ongoing sewage pollution from Mexico that has impacted the Tijuana River Valley and surrounding border communities for decades.
The call for federal intervention followed the unanimous approval of Assembly Joint Resolution 16 (AJR 16) on July 1 in the California State Assembly's Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee.
It comes after decades of "environmental harm and public health risks caused by transboundary pollution flowing from Mexico into California through the Tijuana and New rivers," California lawmakers said.
White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers told Newsweek: "President Trump is taking a whole of government approach to tackle the Tijuana River sewage crisis by employing the EPA, State Department, and USIBWC to quickly negotiate a comprehensive solution with Mexico."
"This project was once slated to take two years but will only take a few months to resolve thanks to the efficiency of this administration."
A sign at Imperial Beach in California warns of sewage pollution in the Tijuana River Valley.
A sign at Imperial Beach in California warns of sewage pollution in the Tijuana River Valley.
Elliot Spagat/AP
Why It Matters
The sewage crisis along the U.S.-Mexico border has resulted in more than 100 billion gallons of contaminated water crossing into California since 2018, harming communities, the environment and public health.
Persistent closures of popular beaches have diminished tourism and sickened residents and military personnel. One shoreline had to be closed for 1,000 days because of high levels of toxins in the water, according to Politico.
Other states have urged leaders to take charge on the issue. Senator Tim Sheehy of Montana sent a letter to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum in April to demand that her government take immediate action to stop the flow of toxic sewage across the border.
What To Know
AJR 16 urges Trump to expedite resources and support for border communities impacted by runoff pollution from the Tijuana and New rivers.
The bill was introduced by Assemblymembers David Alvarez and Jeff Gonzalez, who called for a "state of emergency" to address public health, environmental and economic threats.
The legislation points to research conducted by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in 2017 that attributed 34,000 annual illnesses to "water quality pollution along the City of Imperial Beach coastline" in the County of San Diego, and linked up to 76 percent of bacteria in the City of Imperial Beach's air to "transboundary flow pollution."
It added that the City of Imperial Beach has declared a continued state of emergency since 2017 and has had to be closed frequently because of risk to public health as a result of the pollution.
The shoreline was closed for 101 days in 2018, 243 days in 2019, 295 days in 2020 and 246 days in 2021, and the southernmost portion of the Imperial Beach shoreline has been closed since December 8, 2021, the legislation said.
The legislation calls for:
Full funding of the (Environmental Protection Agency's) infrastructure plan to stop sewage spills at the source.
A national emergency declaration to unlock additional federal resources.
Long-term operation and maintenance support for wastewater treatment facilities.
Immediate action to end beach closures, which have lasted over 1,270 consecutive days in some areas.
Federal investments to address pollution in the New River, which flows from Mexicali to the Salton Sea and affects the community of Calexico.
What People Are Saying
California Assemblymember David Alvarez: "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."
California Assemblymember Jeff Gonzalez: "The people of Imperial County have lived with the impacts of New River pollution for far too long. This is not just an environmental concern—it's a public health challenge that affects our communities every day I respectfully urge federal government to recognize the seriousness of this crisis and to declare a national emergency. With federal partnership, we can work together to ensure a cleaner, safer and healthier future for families on both sides of our border."
EPA administrator Lee Zeldin previously wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "I was just briefed that Mexico is dumping large amounts of raw sewage into the Tijuana River, and it's now seeping into the U.S. This is unacceptable. Mexico MUST honor its commitments to control this pollution and sewage!"
What Happens Next
The full California Assembly is expected to vote on AJR 16 in the coming weeks. If adopted, the resolution would formally request that Trump declare a national emergency to enable immediate federal intervention and long-term mitigation efforts.
