Border Wall Contractors Halt Well Drilling Amid New Mexico Drought

WHO:

NY Post - The Trump administration, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Caddell Construction Co., Fisher Industries, Russell Johnson (cattle rancher), Tom Patterson (president of the New Mexico Cattle Growers' Association), Greg Cunningham (congressional candidate), Gabe Vasquez (congressman).

WHAT:

NY Post - The Trump administration ordered construction crews on a border wall to stop drilling wells in drought-stricken New Mexico.

ABC News - The order was issued after ranchers expressed concerns that pumping groundwater needed for concrete could threaten their livestock.

ABC News - The border wall construction has received over $46 billion in federal funding.

ABC News - Russell Johnson stated that the well near his ranch could pump 300 gallons a minute, while his existing wells pump between three and seven gallons a minute.

ABC News - The New Mexico Office of the State Engineer reported eight wells drilled without permission along the southern border.

WHERE:

NY Post - The construction is taking place in New Mexico, specifically on a federally owned strip of land called the Roosevelt Reservation, located 60 miles (96 kilometers) north of the border.

WHEN:

ABC News - Russell Johnson raised the issue at a public meeting in July.

ABC News - Congressional candidate Greg Cunningham announced the news on social media on a Friday.

WHY:

ABC News - Ranchers are concerned that the drought has forced them to reduce their herd size, and pumping groundwater could exacerbate the situation.

ABC News - Tom Patterson emphasized that water is the No. 1 concern for ranchers, and if wells start to go dry, it would be too late.

HOW:

ABC News - CBP stated that water is needed for concrete mixing, road construction, and dust suppression.

ABC News - The federal contractors did not respond to inquiries regarding the drilling and pumping of wells.

(UPDATED August 4, 2026 07:41 UTC)

The Trump administration has ordered construction crews to halt drilling wells for the border wall in drought-stricken New Mexico after ranchers raised concerns about the impact on their livestock. This decision comes amid reports of eight wells being drilled without permission along the southern border, with ranchers like Russell Johnson highlighting that existing wells only pump a fraction of what the new well could provide. The border wall project, which has received over $46 billion in federal funding, is taking place on federally owned land known as the Roosevelt Reservation, located 60 miles north of the border.