The Department of Homeland Security is moving ahead with its plans to expand the southwest border wall, continuing a contentious policy from the Trump administration that remains a political flashpoint. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced Thursday that the agency has issued three new waivers to bypass certain environmental, cultural, and historical preservation laws in order to fast-track construction.

The newly approved waivers cover roughly 36 miles of additional border barriers to be constructed in southern Arizona and New Mexico, marking the first time under the Biden administration that construction has resumed at this scale in these two states.

“These waivers are necessary to ensure timely and effective border infrastructure in areas experiencing high levels of illegal crossings,” said Secretary Noem in a written statement. “We are committed to using every tool available to secure the border and enforce our immigration laws.”

The announcement brings the number of southwest border states where wall construction is active to all four: California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. While President Biden had originally halted wall construction shortly after taking office, citing its inefficiency and cost, his administration later faced pressure over record-breaking migrant crossings and began issuing limited waivers to resume select projects.

Thursday’s waivers will allow DHS to sidestep a host of laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Endangered Species Act, and the Clean Water Act, drawing criticism from environmental groups and immigrant rights advocates.

“This is just more of the same destructive and ineffective strategy,” said Paulo Martinez, a senior attorney with the Borderlands Legal Defense Fund. “Bypassing decades-old laws designed to protect our ecosystems and communities for a wall that won’t stop migration is not the answer.”

But DHS defended the move as a necessary step to regain operational control over key smuggling corridors, particularly in Pima and Cochise counties in Arizona and Luna County in New Mexico, which have seen sharp increases in unauthorized entries.

“Border Patrol agents on the ground are asking for physical infrastructure to support their mission,” Noem added. “This is about public safety and national security.”

The new waivers cover sections where U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) had already identified gaps that hinder enforcement. In some cases, the construction will also include vehicle barriers, lighting, and surveillance technology to augment the physical fencing.

Critics, however, warn that the environmental damage could be long-lasting. “Every time they blast through desert habitat to pour concrete for another segment of the wall, they are putting endangered species like the jaguar and the Sonoran pronghorn at risk,” said Emma Chavez, director of the Desert Ecology Network. “This expansion is not just about metal and wire—it’s about lives, landscapes, and legal precedents.”

The construction project is expected to begin as early as July 2025, pending contractor mobilization and weather conditions. The 36-mile extension is part of a broader $2.1 billion allocation from Congress that DHS must obligate before the end of the fiscal year.

The debate over the wall continues to play out in the courts and on the campaign trail. Several Republican lawmakers have praised the administration’s decision to proceed with wall construction, claiming it validates the Trump-era approach. Meanwhile, progressives in Congress are calling for investigations into how environmental waivers are being granted.

“This is yet another case of sacrificing environmental justice and community input for a short-term political fix,” said Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), who has long opposed the wall. “There are smarter, more humane ways to manage our borders.”

Despite the controversy, DHS says it will continue evaluating other high-traffic areas for potential infrastructure needs.

“We have to adapt our tools and tactics to the evolving security landscape,” said Noem. “And that means continuing to invest in proven infrastructure when and where it makes sense.”

Originally reported by Bethany Blankley in Herald Review.