Uncharted Territory: New Federal Law Opens Millions of Acres for Sale, Reshapes Power Over Land, Housing, and AI

Farmers, Ranchers, and Local Leaders Warn of Lost Control as Washington Deregulates Land Use and Technology

A sweeping new federal law, recently signed by President Trump, has triggered nationwide debate by ordering the sale of millions of acres of public land, promising to tackle America’s housing crisis, and ushering in a decade-long ban on local regulation of artificial intelligence systems. Proponents argue the law will unleash economic growth and innovation. But across rural America, skepticism is growing as ranchers, farmers, tribal leaders, and community advocates raise alarms about who stands to benefit—and who is left behind.

Public lands have long been one of the few unifying threads in American life, valued by citizens across the political spectrum regardless of party, region, or income. The idea that these spaces are “held in trust for all” is central to the national identity—and helps explain why threats to public land ownership draw such passionate responses from a wide range of Americans.