A federal judge knocked down the last legal barrier to building the controversial final stretch of border fence between San Diego and Tijuana today. KPBS Reporter Amy Isackson has the story.
Lawyers for the Sierra Club and other environmental groups argued that granting the Secretary of Homeland Security the power to waive environmental laws along the border and dismiss all litigation to make way for the border fence is unconstitutional. Congress did just that last May.
The lawyer's arguments were an attempt to keep alive their lawsuit to halt construction of the border fence until the government complied with environmental law.
However, Judge Larry Burns rejected the lawyers' claims and effectively dismissed their suit.
Attorney Cory Briggs represented the environmental groups.
Briggs: "It's a sad day in our country's constitutional history that the court ruled the way that it did."
Briggs is unsure if he'll appeal the decision.
Environmentalists have long argued the final stretch of the fence violates federal environmental law and will destroy sensitive land and plant and animal species. Amy Isackson, KPBS news.
