http://www.jeremiahsullivan.com/

Jeremiah Sullivan, San Diego, CA (2026)

The U.S. government cut Native American grave and environmental protection laws to fast-track a Texas border wall.

It’s running through 6,000-year-old sacred rock art sites.

In a controversial bid to accelerate border security, the U.S. government has cleared the path for the Big Bend Project 5 border wall in southern Texas by waiving dozens of federal environmental and cultural protection laws.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin issued a sweeping waiver that bypasses critical legislation, including the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, the Archaeological Resources Protection Act, and the Clean Water Act.

By removing these legal barriers, contractors can fast-track construction of the steel barrier directly through the Lower Pecos Canyonlands, a region home to thousands of invaluable archaeological sites and sacred Indigenous murals dating back up to 10,000 years.

Preservationists and researchers are raising the alarm as the waiver eliminates mandatory archaeological surveys, meaning builders can proceed without documenting or protecting ancient resources. Dr. Karen Steelman of the Shumla Archaeological Research & Education Center warned that contractors plan to use dynamite in areas containing some of North America's oldest and most significant rock art, threatening irreplaceable history with permanent destruction. While the federal government prioritizes securing the southern border, critics argue that sacrificing ancient cultural treasures and sacred graves represents a devastating, irreversible loss for human heritage.

source: Taub, B. (2026, July 30). US Government Waives Laws Protecting Native American Graves In Order To Build Border Wall Over 6,000-Year-Old Rock Art Sites. IFLScience.