Bulldozers and heavy equipment have been moved into Big Bend National Park, escalating a long-standing dispute over the construction of border security infrastructure. Trucks bearing the logo of Southwest Valley Constructors, a subsidiary of Kiewit Infrastructure West, were documented entering the park this week, according to Keep Big Bend Wild, an advocacy group focused on the park's protection.
In May, the Trump administration awarded a $1.7 billion contract to the company for border wall construction in Big Bend. Despite claims from Customs and Border Protection that a conventional wall will not be built, the specifics of the ongoing work and its location remain unclear. Video shared by the community coalition No Big Bend Wall shows bulldozers uprooting trees and clearing paths through desert washes.
The plans for border infrastructure in the park have undergone changes. Initially, CBP outlined plans for 112 miles of a “primary border wall system” in February. By April, some segments were reportedly replaced with “detection technology,” and a map detailing the projects was taken offline before being re-released in May with further modifications. Laiken Jordahl, a public lands advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity, has stated that the process has been intentionally confusing, citing numerous unannounced changes to the project map.
A June 2026 planning document from CBP now describes 17 miles of a “non-contiguous vehicle barrier system,” varying in height between 4 and 6 feet, and the construction of 205 miles of patrol roads up to 24 feet wide. Additional planned infrastructure includes fiber optic cables, utility poles, power cables, surveillance cameras, and utility shelters.
In February, the Trump administration waived 29 federal statutes to allow construction to proceed, including the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, and the National Environmental Policy Act. A lawsuit challenging these waivers is currently before the courts.
Bob Krumenaker, former superintendent of Big Bend and chair of Keep Big Bend Wild, argued that less destructive and more cost-effective methods exist for enhancing border security. He questioned the logic of the current approach, suggesting it could lead to significant environmental damage with little apparent benefit.
Data compiled by the Washington Office on Latin America indicates that the Border Patrol’s Big Bend Sector accounts for a small fraction of nationwide apprehensions, representing 1.6% of all apprehensions since 1960. This is contrasted with the sector's significant geographic coverage of the border.
Concerns about the impact of border infrastructure extend beyond Big Bend. In Presidio, Texas, approximately 70 miles north, the Department of Homeland Security plans to construct a border wall that could potentially intersect with the town’s levee system, raising flood concerns among local leaders.