“It is outrageous that the Mexican government is dumping their trash on our side of the border – and forcing US taxpayers to deal with the costs and environmental damage. Gavin Newsom refuses to act, so I’m asking the Trump Administration to intervene.” -CA State Asm. Carl DeMaio
California State Assemblymember Carl DeMaio is calling for an immediate federal investigation into the Mexican government illegally dumping their trash on the US side of the border in San Diego County.
“California is being used as a dumping ground—and our communities are paying the price,” DeMaio said. “This is not just a pile of trash. This is sewage-laden debris, toxic runoff, and hazardous waste being pushed across the border with no oversight, no accountability, and no compensation to the communities forced to manage the fallout.”
DeMaio has sent a formal investigation request to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) demanding answers, accountability, and immediate intervention.
Recent reporting shows that trash flowing from the Tijuana River channel into California has surged to unprecedented levels. A 1,200-foot trash boom installed north of the border caught 20 tons of debris in a single hour during a storm event—and more than 500 tons of debris in a single hour during a storm event—and more than 500 tons in one rainy season. Operators stated plainly: “All of this trash, 100 percent of it, comes from Mexico.”
DeMaio says the consequences for Californians are severe: increased landfill burdens, contaminated waterways, beach closures, ecological damage, and major costs shifted onto U.S. taxpayers.
In this letter, DeMaio asks federal agencies to answer critical questions, including:
What systems exist to track refuse or industrial waste originating in Mexico that end up in U.S. landfills?
Are foreign-orgin trash shipments increasing costs for state and local governments or straining U.S. landfill capacity.
Have regulatory gaps allowed municipalities or private operators to accept or process foreign waste under weaker oversight—effectively subsidizing cross border dumping?
What measurable environmental and public health harms have resulted, including leachate threats, river and estuary contamination, and coastal beach closures.
DeMaio emphasizes that the issue is not merely environmental—it is financial and moral.
“This is a matter of basic fairness,” DeMaio said. “Why should California taxpayers’ foot the bill for trash generated in another country? Why should our beaches, our watersheds, and our coastal communities absorb the environmental damage because federal agencies have failed to enforce the rules?” DeMaio asks.
DeMaio says that without swift federal intervention, the problem will continue to escalate.
“Every day the federal agencies fail to act is another day Californians pay higher costs, endure polluted waterways, and watch our infrastructure get overwhelmed by someone else’s garbage,” DeMaio said. “It’s unacceptable—and I’m demanding immediate action to protect our state.”
DeMaio pledged to continue pressing federal authorities until a full investigation is launched, and solutions are implemented.
“California communities should not bear the environmental and financial burden of cross-border waste management,” DeMaio concluded. “We need transparency, enforcement, and accountability—and we need it now.”