Border wall construction threatens iconic Southwest species

Conservationists with the Sky Island Alliance and Wildlands Network say Trump's border wall has cut off ancient migration routes for jaguars, mountain lions, bears and dozens of other species across Arizona's Madrean Archipelago. Their trail-camera study found only 9% of wildlife interactions with the wall from 2022 to 2026 resulted in a successful crossing, even with 70 designated 'cat doors' installed in the Tucson Sector.

To speed construction, the administration has waived over 50 environmental, public health and tribal sovereignty laws, including NEPA and the Endangered Species Act. DHS awarded a $4.5 billion wall contract in October and is operating on a $106 billion budget — enough, advocates note, to build the wall twice over even if Congress cut funding entirely.

Conservationists say DHS has rejected proposals to widen bollard spacing from 4 to 5.5 inches or add more than two wildlife passages per mile, calling the current pace of construction essentially unchecked. A 2023 GAO report already flagged erosion problems threatening the wall's own structural integrity. DHS did not respond to requests for comment.

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