Rep. Grijalva Slams Trump Administration for Destroying 100-Year-Old Cottonwood Trees to Build Second Border Wall

Monday, August 3, 2026

Tucson, AZ — Congresswoman Adelita S. Grijalva issued the following statement after contractors working on the Trump administration's secondary border wall project cut down three 100-year old cottonwood trees near Lochiel, Arizona. The latest construction is part of the administration's multibillion-dollar border wall expansion across Arizona and Texas, including areas where barriers already exist. Conservationists have warned that the project threatens a sensitive wildlife habitat, fragile ecosystems, and culturally significant landscapes throughout the borderlands.

"The Trump administration is bulldozing our public lands, destroying century-old trees, and endangering wildlife —all to build an unnecessary second border wall. That's not border security; it's reckless destruction. Arizonans deserve better than an administration that treats our natural landscapes and border communities as collateral damage for a political stunt, said Rep. Grijalva.

In May, Rep. Grijalva questioned Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum about construction of a second border wall and sought a commitment that the administration would avoid and minimize damage to environmentally-sensitive and culturally significant sites. The destruction of these century-old cottonwood trees underscores exactly why those concerns were raised and why stronger oversight of the administration's border wall construction is urgently needed.

###