Luna County farmers living along border urge Biden administration to finish wall construction

LUNA COUNTY, New Mexico -- Farmers in Luna County are expressing concern that the halt to the construction of the U.S.-Mexico border wall by the Biden administration is causing them a number of problems.

The 30-foot wall runs the length of James Johnson’s 103-year old family farm, and he told ABC-7 that the wall has been very effective in helping stop illegal immigration.

Only half-mile west though, there is a gap in the wall. Johnson estimated nearly 1,000 people are crossing through the 2,200-foot gap each day. 

“I’d wish they would finish all of it,” Johnson said. “Border Patrol is completely overwhelmed. They’ve had to bring in military to help, they’ve got light plants set up, they’ve got cameras, portable camera towers set up - all trying to mitigate the crossings as much as possible.” 

On top of illegal immigration that is said to be happening as a result of the halt to the wall building, there are also concerns of floods destroying crops and liability.

“Now that everything has been walked away from, we’re in a severe threat of a flood,” Johnson said.

During construction, he said a diversion was removed that had been in place to move water to the south. He added that low water crossings were in the process of being built, but were never finished.

“This stuff was made to work one way,” Johnson said. “Without it being completed it’s obviously not going to function.”

Another concern of Johnson’s is erosion: “If the wind blows because a lot of this stuff wasn’t finished like it was supposed to be for design, whether it be my family or an immigrant coming across, who is at fault on that?”

Johnson told ABC-7 even if no more wall is built, he hopes the federal government finishes the parts of the wall it has already started to get the structure to a point where it’s no longer a liability.