Construction of a 30ft-high steel wall along the US-Mexico border has begun in Arizona’s San Rafael Valley, one of the last unbroken grasslands in the western United States. The Trump administration is pushing ahead with a 27-mile section despite a legal challenge, replacing low vehicle barriers that previously allowed wildlife to cross.
Environmentalists and local residents have raised alarms about the wall’s impact on biodiversity and water resources. The valley, southeast of Tucson, is home to species such as jaguars, ocelots, bears and mountain lions that migrate between the two countries. Russ McSpadden of the Center for Biological Diversity warned that the barrier could sever animal populations, potentially leading to extinction for some endangered species.
Water depletion is another major concern in this arid region already affected by drought. New wells are being drilled to extract groundwater for mixing concrete for the wall’s foundation. Previous border wall projects have required hundreds of thousands of gallons per day.
Construction is proceeding while a federal lawsuit challenges the administration’s use of waivers that bypass more than 30 environmental and public health laws. Kristi Noem, director of the Department of Homeland Security, has defended the project as necessary to prevent unlawful entry. However, local residents like Linda Shore, director of the Red Rock Acres Homeowners Association, question the need, noting that unlawful border crossings in the Tucson sector were down more than 90% in August compared to the previous year. “In my mind, it’s a big show of force for nothing,” she said.
