The National Park Service has denied an activist group's request to place water stations along the Arizona-Mexico border — marking the first time their permit has been denied in more than two decades.
Since 2001, Humane Borders has l maintained a series of water stations in some of the most remote and deadly corners of Arizona's vast desert borderland. The group also works with the Pima County Medical Examiner's Office to track the number of deaths along the border.
Humane Borders says the move comes during a recent surge in migrant deaths — 86 so far and likely due to the lack of water.
Laurie Cantillo chairs the group's board. She says this year, three different federal land management agencies have denied their requests — meaning 12 water stations need to be taken down.
"We're concerned about how long it might take to get those stations back in the future, and the toll it will take on people crossing the desert," she said.
Cantillo says the group has maintained a relationship with federal officials for years.
"[We've] built partnerships, responded to concerns, we renew these permits annually, we jump through all the bureaucracy and hoops and do everything the right way," she said.
So far this year, permits for roughly 30% of the group's water stations have been denied, either verbally or officially, according to the group.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife denied permits for stations in the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge and the Buenos Aires National Wildlife, Cantillo says, and the Bureau of Land Management told them their permits for Ironwood National Monument would not be renewed.
A Sept. 28 letter from the Park Service denies the group's latest request to maintain water stations in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, arguing they encourage migrants to travel "deeper into dangerous terrain with a false sense of security."
Humane Borders Executive Director Octavio Fuentes says the group sets up water stations in places where deaths have already occurred.
"Our water stations don't lead, they follow," he said. "So wherever we've placed a water station, it's because we've already seen data of where there's death. So where there's death, we respond with water stations," said Fuentes.
Fuentes argues the same in a response letter to the park service at the end of September. He says the group will comply with the denials in the meantime and will look for other sites, like those on private land, to place the water stations.
The group data shows July was the deadliest month in two years along the Arizona border.
KJZZ's Kathy Ritchie contributed to this report.
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