Media & Resources

Next 100 Opposes Immigration Enforcement by Forest Service Ranger, Warns Will Widen Nature Gap For Many Communities

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Next 100 Coalition stands vehemently against the recent incident in Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, by which a Forest Service ranger notified Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), leading to the detainment of five people during a family camping trip.

“ICE has no place on our public lands. Encounters with public land rangers should never lead to the separation of families.” said Chela Garcia Irlando, Executive Director of the Next 100 Coalition.” It is appalling that an unverified complaint about garbage led to a park ranger informing ICE, a midnight raid on a campsite, and the separation of five family members from their spouses and children.”

Public lands are public because they are for the benefit and enjoyment of everyone. They exist to offer community, connection to nature, and recreation for all people, regardless of background or immigration status. Incidents like this further erode trust in communities, especially communities of color who have long been over-policed in our national parks, forests, and public lands.

The responsibility of public land managers is to care for parks and national forests, and to serve the public, not to serve as an extension of U.S. immigration enforcement. This overreach by a Forest Service Ranger creates distrust and has the potential to further widen the nature gap that exists for many immigrant families and communities of color who feel unwelcome, unsafe, and already lack access to public lands.

According to a recent study by Justice Outside and the Center for American Progress, communities of color are three times more likely to live in nature-deprived areas than white communities. 54 percent of Latinos in the US live in nature-deprived areas.
Our nation’s public lands must remain accessible to all without the threat of surveillance, over-policing, or immigration detentions. Turning public lands into immigration enforcement zones effectively excludes entire communities from places meant to be enjoyed by everyone.

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Next 100 Coalition opposes the Trump Administration’s decision to develop data centers on federal lands in Nevada and Kentucky

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – The Next 100 Coalition stands vehemently against the recent decisions of the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Interior (DOI) to build data centers on federally owned sites and public lands. We call for the immediate halt of plans to develop data centers at both sites. 

The recent announcements from the DOI and DOE reflect a broader federal trend by the Trump Administration to accelerate the development of data centers while forsaking the health of communities, wildlife, and the environment. 

We are also appalled by the fact that the public was cut out of the process for the decisions. This is another attack on the American democratic process by this Administration. 

“Public lands belong to the American people, not to private tech corporations seeking quick access to real estate, fresh water, and energy,” said Chela Garcia Irlando, Executive Director of the Next 100 Coalition. 

“AI infrastructure isn’t neutral, it’s an energy and water-intensive industrial development that’s being greenwashed and sidestepping critical permitting processes with almost little public input.” 

The Next 100 Coalition calls for the Administration to cease all developments of data centers on public lands and we call for Congress to ban data centers on federal public lands. 

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Next 100 Coalition Opposes Proposed Seabed Mining Off Virginia’s Coast

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Next 100 Coalition today announced its opposition to the U.S. Department of the Interior’s proposal to consider commercial seabed mining off Virginia’s Eastern Shore. The proposal would open more than 2,700 square miles of Atlantic waters to a new and largely untested industrial activity, placing at risk an offshore landscape of extraordinary ecological, historical, and cultural significance.

Alongside serious concerns about the impacts of seabed mining on marine habitats, fisheries, migratory wildlife, and coastal communities, the proposal also threatens a coastal landscape shaped by thousands of years of Indigenous history, maritime traditions, colonization, slavery, military service, and scientific discovery. Much of that heritage remains beneath the water in shipwrecks, submerged landscapes, and archaeological sites that have yet to be understood or documented. Disturbing the seafloor at an industrial scale, with a limited understanding of the impacts, risks damaging both living ecosystems and irreplaceable cultural resources forever.

Karyn Bigelow, Programs & Advocacy Director for the Next 100 Coalition, issued the following statement:
“The maritime landscape off Virginia’s coast is both a living ecosystem and a living archive. Long before European ships reached these shores, Indigenous communities lived, traveled, traded, fished, and stewarded these coasts and waters. The same Atlantic carried African men, women and children stolen from their homelands into Virginia and into a system of slavery that helped build and shape the nation. Laborers, sailors, fishermen, pilots, shipbuilders, oyster workers, and coastal families, many from Black communities, helped build the maritime culture and economy that still define this coast. This history remains visible in working waterfronts and coastal traditions. However much of it lies beneath the water in shipwrecks, submerged landscapes and ecosystems, and archaeological sites that have not yet been fully studied. Once the seafloor is disturbed, we risk damaging the natural systems that sustain life while losing an irreplaceable record of the people, cultures, and histories connected to these waters.”

The Next 100 Coalition urges the Department of the Interior to reject commercial seabed mining off Virginia’s coast and protect the shared natural and cultural heritage that has sustained people, wildlife, and communities for thousands of years. Members of the public should submit comments on the proposal by July 23, 2026.

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A Step Backwards: Next 100 Coalition Opposes Trump Administration’s Budget Assault on Conservation, Climate, and Outdoor Recreation

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Next 100 Coalition opposes the proposed fiscal year (FY) 2027 budget submitted by President Trump. The Administration’s budget, if enacted by Congress, is a continued step backwards. By proposing significant cuts to federal agencies that protect our public lands, ocean, and freshwaters, this Administration is signaling that a stable climate, healthy communities, a trillion dollar recreation economy, and balanced ecosystems are no longer national priorities. Not only is the Administration proposing cuts to critical environmental protection programs, but it is also proposing increasing investments in energy dominance efforts that are known to harm communities, fast track climate change, and degrade our environment.

We cannot afford to disinvest in environmental safeguards while over-investing in an energy dominance agenda that accelerates harm to the ecosystems, local economies, and future generations dependent on the very environmental safeguards that are being cut. If passed, this budget will create a self-inflicted catastrophe.

There are consequential ripple effects to our ecological biodiversity, public health, and local economies when conservation, climate, recreation, and environmental stewardship programs are not properly funded. Local hotels, guide services, and restaurants see fewer visitors as facilities fall into disrepair or close entirely. A reduced federal footprint leads to a reduction in private-sector jobs that support outdoor tourism. Irreparable risks to communities, culturally and historically significant places, homes and properties, as well as critical species and habitats that make up larger ecosystems become threatened when agencies do not have the funding to ensure evidence-based protections, maintenance, and stewardship of our natural resources.

“Decades ago, when funding for environmental safeguards did not exist or was limited, we saw widespread public health and environmental disasters across our country. Toxic chemicals flowed freely in our streams, agricultural runoff led to hazardous beaches, critical species decline endangered entire ecosystems, and our air and drinking water were frequently polluted. We must not go back to the dark ages to appease an unnecessary energy dominance agenda over protecting our communities and the environment we will pass on to the next generation.”

For decades, conserving these irreplaceable resources has had significant bipartisan support. We call on Congress to remain committed to a bipartisan effort to fully fund conservation, climate, outdoor recreation, and environmental programs that have a direct impact on every single American. We urge Congress to reject these short-sighted cuts and invest in a future where our natural resources, and the communities they sustain,can thrive. Protecting our environment is not a luxury, it is our responsibility.

UPDATED: Next 100 Coalition calls for the renaming of the César E. Chávez National Monument

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – The Next 100 Coalition stands in solidarity with Dolores Huerta and applauds her continued leadership for over 60 years. Recently, the labor rights activist Dolores Huerta revealed that she was one of multiple women and girls sexually assaulted by César Chávez. 

We call for the renaming of the César E. Chávez National Monument. The existing National Monument commemorates the farmworker movement and signals its importance in the broader civil rights movement in this country. It is incumbent upon us to ensure that the individual who caused harm and acted against the values of dignity in the movement for social justice, is no longer idolized or commemorated within that history.

The legacy of Dolores Huerta is one of relentless advocacy and fierce leadership. As the co-founder of the United Farm Workers, she was the movement’s primary negotiator, famously securing the first collective bargaining agreements for farmworkers in California. Her strategic brilliance fueled the 1965 Delano Grape Strike and the subsequent national boycotts that forced a reckoning in American agricultural labor. Beyond labor, Huerta’s legacy is defined by her role as a feminist icon; she challenged the machismo of the 1960s civil rights era, ensuring women’s leadership was central in the movement.

Her enduring contribution is captured in the rallying cry she created, “Sí, se puede.” By bridging the gaps between labor rights, environmental justice, and gender equality, Huerta transformed the American political landscape, proving that organized peaceful resistance can dismantle systemic exploitation. Even in her 90s, her foundation continues to train the next generation of community organizers, ensuring her fight for the dignity of people, communities, and the environment outlives any one person.

“No leader, regardless of their work or contributions to our movement, is exempt from accountability,” said Chela Garcia Irlando, Executive Director, Next 100 Coalition. The actions of Cesar Chavez are inexcusable and antithetical to the values of dignity and justice that define our work. We must remove all recognition of this individual, and focus on centering the importance of the farmworker movement, and the leadership and sacrifices of the women who have been integral to its success. We stand with Debra Rojas. We stand with Ana Murguia. We stand with Dolores Huerta. We stand with survivors.” 

Marine monument under threat: Next 100 Coalition opposes opening the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument to commercial fishing

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Next 100 Coalition condemns the decision of the Trump Administration to reopen the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument to commercial fishing.

The Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument is the only marine national monument in the Atlantic. This decision strips protections from the 4,913-square-mile biodiversity hotspot home to ancient deep-sea corals, sea turtles, and endangered whales.
“The administration is ignoring decades of science and community input to benefit short-term industrial interests at the expense of our ocean’s ecological health,” said Chela Garcia Irlando, Executive Director of the Next 100 Coalition.

This decision is not only an attack on the ocean, but also undermines the presidential power from the Antiquities Act. Historically, sitting presidents did not undermine the decisions of former presidents. This national monument was designated by former President Obama in September 2016 using Proclamation 9496. This is not the first time that President Trump has moved to undermine the decision of President Obama to protect this area. In June 2020, President Trump issued Proclamation 10049 to remove the restrictions on commercial fishing. In October 2021, President Biden restored those restrictions through Proclamation 10287. Proclamation 9496 by President Obama needs to be upheld by the Executive Branch.

Joint statement on the National Park Service dismantling slavery exhibits at the President’s House in Philadelphia

Washington, D.C. — Last week, the National Park Service removed a historical display at the Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This display portrayed President George Washington’s treatment of his enslaved Africans. This is the latest of attacks made by the Trump Administration on our nation’s history and public parks. 

The Next 100 Coalition and Justice Outside continue to strongly oppose President Trump’s Executive Order 14253, which mandated the review and removal of US historical narratives and tributes  in federal public spaces that do not align with his agenda. In March 2025, the president signed an executive order that called for “restoring truth in American history.” This included a review of public monuments, memorials, and other landmarks to determine whether there is a portrayal of “false” American history. The efforts by this Administration does not restore truth, but instead restores prejudiced narratives that attempt to erase history.

“We feel a profound sense of grief watching this history be dismantled. The President’s House exhibit was hard-won through years of community advocacy demanding that our public spaces tell the full truth—including the story of Oney Judge, who bravely escaped in pursuit of her own freedom. At Justice Outside, we work every day to ensure that Black, Indigenous, and Communities of Color can see themselves reflected in our nation’s outdoor and public spaces. When we erase the truth about who built this country and at what cost, we tell those communities that their ancestors’ experiences do not matter. We call for the immediate restoration of this exhibit and a commitment to honoring all of our history.” – Kim Bailey, President & CEO, Justice Outside 

“We must confront and tell the ugly truths of our nation’s history, which includes the fact that America’s founding fathers enslaved Africans. Slavery happened.  Its horrific impact and legacy cannot simply be erased by an Administration that refuses to accept nor openly educate the public about that truth.” -Chela Irlando Garcia, Executive Director, Next 100 Coalition. 

We call for an immediate halt to further removals of any historical, cultural, and educational landmarks in our national parks and public lands, a full accounting of the decision-making process for past removals, the immediate restoration of the removed exhibit at the President’s House, and a commitment to preservation that respects our nation’s history, culture, and heritage for future generations.

Coalition Sounds Alarm: Federal AI Infrastructure Order Could Spike Utility Costs, Drain Water Resources, and Sideline Communities

Eight groups join Next 100 Coalition in urging safeguards as DOE pushes fast-track approval for data centers on federal lands

Concern for the Advancement of AI Data Centers

March 14, 2025 — The Next 100 Coalition expresses concern for the recent call by Open AI to President Trump to prioritize the development of artificial intelligence (AI).

AI has the power to solve many of the world’s problems, but without regulations the data centers that run AI will exacerbate the current environmental challenges that this nation faces. Not enough information is currently known about the true amount of water and energy that is used by these data centers to power artificial intelligence and other modern technology, such as cloud computing and crypto.

“Artificial Intelligence has great potential when used responsibly and with accountability. It is known that data centers use large amounts of resources, but the U.S. does not know the true extent of these impacts,” said Chela Garcia Irlando, Executive Director for the Next 100 Coalition. “Research has shown that one data center alone can consume up to 5 million gallons of drinking water per day. This is concerning since already water insecure and climate-stressed states are actively recruiting data centers, which will only further exacerbate these environmental challenges.”

Expanding AI in the U.S. will depend on the development of additional data centers. Data centers utilize large amounts of energy, land, and water for the computing and cooling infrastructure required. Many data centers are being proposed and built in areas that are already experiencing water and energy stress and uncertainty. Often the average consumer is in the same utility pay class as these data center companies, thus putting the financial burden on working households. The development of new data centers not only stresses water and utility resources, but also increases stress on local ecosystems and our national demand and sourcing of critical minerals.

The United States must develop a strategy to remain competitive in the AI race, but it should not come at the expense of our nation’s limited natural resources or public health. As the U.S. continues to develop the infrastructure for AI, it needs to be done with innovative technology that limits the energy and water demands it requires and is accountable to the communities it serves.