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Trump Administration Calls on “God Squad” to Weaken Endangered Species Act Protections
The Trump administration today announced its intent to convene the Endangered Species Committee — colloquially known as the “God Squad”— on March 31, 2026, to consider an exemption under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for oil and gas-related activities in the Gulf of Mexico.
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Defenders of Wildlife Unveils 2025 Conservation Report Card for 119th Congress
Defenders of Wildlife today released its 2025 Conservation Report Card for the 119th Congress, measuring members’ commitment to upholding federal laws that protect wildlife conservation during its first session.
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Defenders of Wildlife Sues FWS Over Extensive FOIA Request Delays
Defenders of Wildlife today filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, citing the agency’s extensive delay in fulfilling eight Freedom of Information Act requests related to land exchanges within the National Wildlife Refuge System.
Press Releases
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Bill to Create State Wildlife Corridors Action Plan Signed Into Law
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has officially signed SB 228, the Wildlife Corridors Act, which will direct the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish and the Department of Transportation to develop a Wildlife Corridors Action Plan.
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Court Rejects Trump’s Backroom Deal for Disastrous Road through Izembek Refuge
The U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska vacated the Trump administration’s agreement to trade away internationally recognized, congressionally designated wilderness wetlands in Izembek National Wildlife Refuge to a private corporation.
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New Border Wall Built with Military Funds Would Cutoff Wildlife Movement
According to a recently obtained letter, the Department of Homeland Security has requested billions of dollars in military funds from the Department of Defense to build additional miles of border wall.
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National Academy of Sciences Confirms Red Wolves Are a Valid Species
A new report concludes that the endangered Red Wolf is a taxonomically valid species and a species that must be protected under the Endangered Species Act.
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Study Confirms Taxonomic Validity of the Mexican Gray Wolf
A new report confirmed the Mexican gray wolf as a valid taxonomic subspecies of gray wolf.
jcovey@defenders.org
