THE DON-ument Act Creates 290,000-Acre National Monument to Protect Border Wall from Being 'Altered'

The newly introduced legislation, officially titled THE DON-ument Act, is a straightforward bill with a significant land management proposal: it establishes the Southern Border Wall National Monument. This isn't your typical monument dedicated to natural beauty or historical significance; its explicit goal is to protect the existing southern border wall structure from being "changed or altered" (SEC. 2).

The Monument’s Mission: Preservation

This new National Monument is massive, covering approximately 289,920 acres across federal land in California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. Think of it as a protective legal shell placed over the physical barrier. The Department of the Interior, specifically the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), will manage this area. For the 25-to-45 crowd juggling mortgages and careers, the immediate takeaway is that a huge tract of federal land is being designated with the primary purpose of locking in the current infrastructure. This designation essentially restricts future policy options regarding the wall—it makes removal or significant modification much harder, legally and administratively, than if the land remained under standard federal management.

Who Manages the New Protected Land?

The Secretary of the Interior is tasked with running the show, but they can't do it alone. Since the border wall crosses various jurisdictions, the Secretary must coordinate management with other federal agencies and, crucially, with the governing bodies of any Indian Tribes that have jurisdiction over the land. This coordination will happen through formal agreements called Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) (SEC. 2). For the Tribes whose ancestral lands are already bisected by the wall, this means the federal government is now formalizing the protection of that barrier and requiring them to negotiate how the surrounding land—nearly 290,000 acres—is managed. This requirement for MOUs could easily become a source of administrative friction and delays as various parties try to agree on management priorities.

Impact on Land Use and Future Policy

While the bill requires the BLM to develop a general management plan within three years of receiving funding, the primary mandate is already set: protect the wall. This designation could significantly impact conservation groups and others who utilize these lands. National Monuments typically prioritize conservation, recreation, and historical preservation. By making the protection of a physical barrier the central, non-negotiable purpose, the bill could restrict access or limit environmental restoration efforts within the monument boundaries. For instance, if a future administration wanted to use the land for a different purpose or modify the wall for environmental reasons (like allowing natural water flow or wildlife migration), this monument status acts as a significant legal hurdle, prioritizing the existing structure over almost everything else. The definition of the "southern border wall" is intentionally broad, covering any physical barrier built under federal law or executive order, ensuring maximum protection for the existing infrastructure.