U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) introduced legislation this week aimed at permanently blocking future federal administrations from seizing control of hundreds of thousands of acres of private land in West Texas.
The bill, titled the No FED in West Texas Act, seeks to prevent any repeat of a controversial Biden-era proposal that would have dramatically expanded the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge by acquiring up to 700,000 acres across Texas and New Mexico — a nearly 10,000% increase in size that raised alarms among local ranchers and farmers.
Although the Trump administration’s Fish and Wildlife Service withdrew the plan in July 2025, Cruz and supporters argue that a simple policy reversal is not enough. Without new legislation, a future administration could revive a similar land-grab effort with little warning.
“West Texas is vital to economic growth and energy for Texans, and decisions about its land should belong to Texans, not Washington bureaucrats. This bill will protect our communities from federal overreach, prevent land grabs that threaten jobs, and limit energy and agricultural development. I’m proud to join Rep. Arrington in advancing it,” Cruz said.
The Texas Farm Bureau and the American Stewards of Liberty have both voiced their support for the bill.
“Texas farmers and ranchers are the best stewards of their land, not the federal government. The Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) proposal to dramatically expand federal designations in West Texas originated during the previous administration and threatened to significantly expand the federal footprint on private land,” added Texas Farm Bureau President Russell Boening.
Companion legislation from last year has already advanced through the House Natural Resources Committee, introduced by Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-TX-19), whose congressional district covers some of that land in question.
“The Biden Administration finalized a plan to buy up 30% of the land in the US by 2030, a significant part of which was expanding a wildlife refuge in West Texas by an outrageous 10,000%,” Arrington said in this week’s update. “I’m proud to have led the fight to defend our tax dollars, private property rights, and way of life.”
If passed, the “No Fed Act” would block any future President from rolling out land-protection plans similar to the scrapped Biden proposal – essentially locking today’s policy into law and removing that option in the future.
For the ranchers and farmers of West Texas, the bill isn’t just about stopping one plan, according to Cruz and his team – it’s about making sure the land they own stays in their hands.
