Amid pushback, CBP says it is placing ‘limited’ barriers, not a 30-foot wall, in national park
CBP says the project will add 5-foot steel vehicle barriers and roads, while opponents warn it will damage wildlife, cultural sites and tourism.
- On Friday, a tribal nonprofit and an outdoor recreation company sued to stop border wall-related construction in Big Bend National Park, citing threats to archaeological resources and cultural sites sacred to the Lipan Apache.
- CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott stated on Thursday the agency is "NOT building a 30-foot wall" in Big Bend, instead installing limited vehicle barriers and detection technology in strategic locations.
- The People of La Junta for Preservation claims the project threatens sites of "culture and potentially religious significance" for the Lipan Apache. Founder Christina Hernandez said, "Once an archaeological site is excavated by heavy machinery...the injury is irreparable."
- Plaintiffs argue DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin exceeded his authority by waiving federal laws, since Congress assigned "administration, protection, and development" of the park exclusively to the Interior Department and National Park Service.
- Sen. Roland Gutierrez condemned the project, stating, "The Trump administration wants DHS to bulldoze over the law," as environmental groups continue to challenge the legal waivers designed to fast-track construction.
12 Articles
12 Articles
CBP Boss Set to Visit Big Bend Region Amid Border Construction Backlash
“Come down to Big Bend. Let me show you what I’m seeing on the ground,” Sheriff Cleveland told Commissioner Scott in a social media post. Jon G. Fuller / VWPics / AP Customs and Border Patrol Commissioner Rodney Scott plans to visit Texas’ Big Bend region next week as frustrations rise regarding the Trump administration’s border security project plans for Big Bend National Park.Terrell County Sheriff Thaddeus Cleveland, a retired Border Patrol a…
Indigenous group sues to stop border wall on religious grounds
The lawsuit seeks an immediate injunction, arguing that CBP construction and surveying activities in Big Bend violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. This story was originally published on August 14 in The Texas Observer. The People of La Junta for Preservation, founded in 2024 that works to preserve Indigenous sites, and two Indigenous worshippers of Lipan Apache lineage are suing the federal government to stop the highly contentious bo…
Daily on Energy: What’s going on in Big Bend National Park?
WHAT’S HAPPENING TODAY: Good afternoon and happy Friday, readers! We have some more weekend plans for everyone in the Washington, D.C., area. This weekend, one of the biggest Asian food festivals will be taking place here in the nation’s capital, known as Panda Fest. Learn more about the festival here. Today’s edition of Daily on Energy takes a closer look at Phillip 66’s return to California, that was announced earlier this week. What does it …
At Big Bend National Park, bulldozers begin clearing land for border barrier work
In the Big Bend area of West Texas, contractors are beginning to set the stage to build the Trump administration's planned border wall and barriers, despite bipartisan opposition.
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