Construction crews working on the border wall in New Mexico have been ordered to stop drilling new wells after local ranchers warned that pumping groundwater to produce concrete could endanger their livestock during a severe drought.

The border wall project, a key domestic priority of former President Donald Trump, spans four states and has received over $46 billion in federal funding. Alongside New Mexico, controversies have also emerged in Texas and California, where residents and environmentalists have reported various construction issues.

At a public meeting in July 2026, ranchers reported unmonitored tapping of border aquifers that threatened nearby water supplies. Russell Johnson, a cattle rancher whose property borders the area, expressed serious concerns, stating, “It would put us in an immediate catastrophe and having to do something with our livestock. I mean, it could potentially put some people out of business, us included.”

Johnson raised the issue after noticing an industrial well on land he leases for grazing, which drilling crews said would pump 300 gallons per minute. By comparison, Johnson's approximately 12 wells across his ranch pump between three and seven gallons per minute. Staff inspections in July found two wells pumping 200 gallons per minute.

The New Mexico Office of the State Engineer stated that all non-tribal wells, whether on state or federal land, require permits before drilling or water extraction can occur.

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