The US government is building hundreds of miles of border wall through iconic national parks, public lands, and ecologically sensitive wilderness areas. The “Smart Wall” project aims to construct walls in parts of Texas desert with historically low border crossings and a second wall across parts of California, Arizona, and New Mexico.
Critics say the construction will destroy pristine country, threaten endangered species, and cut off access to sacred Indigenous and archaeological sites. National parks staff, sheriffs, conservative county judges, environmentalists, and Texas state lawmakers are lobbying Trump officials to change course.
The Department of Homeland Security has issued waivers under the 2005 REAL ID Act, allowing the department to disregard the wall’s impact on plants and animals normally protected by the Endangered Species Act. The project is exempted from the National Environmental Policy Act, a sweeping law that mandates an extensive review of a federal action’s potential impacts and public consultation.
The Trump administration has ignored local officials’ concerns and awarded contracts to out-of-state firms. Big Bend National Park has emerged as a political flashpoint, with landowners and conservationists describing the border wall as an unnecessary encroachment on unspoiled freedom.
Critics argue that the wall would create a “no man’s land” between the two segments, exacerbating dangers. Border residents say that maintaining roads for agents and other technology can enhance border security better than a wall.
Environmental experts warn that building physical barriers could deplete scarce groundwater resources, disturb animal migration patterns, and disrupt plant life. Native Americans have used the Quitobaquito Springs for thousands of years, living there intermittently. The springs are home to endangered species, including Sonoyta mud turtles and Quitobaquito pupfish.
A bipartisan pushback in Texas may prompt Trump officials to reconsider their plans. Local businesses and organizations have sent a letter to Congress, asking the appropriations committee to stop the use of federal funds for a project that would cause irreversible damage to the “integrity of our natural heritage.”
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2026/03/21/border-wall-expansion-trump-environmental-impact