Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has paused all construction activity within Big Bend National Park, according to CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott. The decision follows several lawsuits filed to halt border wall-related construction in the Texas national park.
Scott announced the pause in an X post on Monday, stating he would conduct a personal, on-the-ground evaluation of the situation. "CBP is firmly committed to protecting America, and that includes our national treasures like Big Bend National Park (BBNP)," Scott said. He acknowledged the existence of "current and predictable national security threats."
CBP had been constructing sections of a limited barrier in the park, deviating from initial plans for a 30-foot wall. Concerns about the construction have been voiced by various groups, including a bipartisan coalition of Texas border sheriffs and county judges, private landowners, and Big Bend Park advocates. In early August, Republican Texas Sen. John Cornyn sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin detailing these concerns.
According to Cornyn's letter, residents and workers around the park have expressed worries that a wall could damage the landscape, threaten Native American historical sites, disrupt wildlife migration patterns, and negatively impact the local economy. Heavy machinery has been observed on a state road leading into the park.
State Sen. Roland Gutierrez, a Democrat, recently filed a federal lawsuit against the administration concerning the proposed barriers in Big Bend National Park. Gutierrez stated that the project endangers sacred land, archaeological sites, and natural resources, asserting that crews have already cleared approximately two miles of land. He questioned the necessity of barriers in the remote area, labeled the project a waste of taxpayer funds, and argued that existing laws protecting national parkland must be adhered to.
Previously, former Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem had waived certain laws, which permitted the construction to commence.