On March 17, 2000, WLF filed a brief urging the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to reject a suit designed to derail efforts to tighten security along the U.S.-Mexico border based on alleged environmental concerns. WLF argued that securing the border against the flood of illegal aliens is too important a mission to allow it to be sidetracked by minor environmental concerns. In addition to significantly increasing personnel, the Border Patrol has installed floodlights to deter night-time travel. The plaintiffs sought court-ordered removal of the floodlights on the ground that the lights might scare endangered species living in the area. As part of the settlement agreement, the plaintiffs dropped their demands for an injunction requiring removal of the flood lights; in return, the INS agreed to undertake a detailed study of potential environmental impacts of Operation Rio Grande.
