Landowners, ranchers, business owners, and the nonprofit Conserve Big Bend are suing to halt the Trump administration's construction of a border wall and related infrastructure in Texas's remote Big Bend region. The lawsuit challenges the administration's assertion that the area experiences high illegal entry rates, a justification used to waive environmental and archaeological protections.
The plaintiffs argue that the Department of Homeland Security is misusing congressional authority that allows the secretary broad power to waive regulations for border infrastructure in areas with significant illegal crossings. According to statistics cited in the lawsuit, the Big Bend region, which accounts for roughly one-quarter of the U.S.-Mexico border, represented only about 1% of arrests. This contrasts with the administration's claim of "high illegal entry" in the area.
The lawsuit is the latest in a series of challenges to the administration's expansive border wall project, a $46 billion effort aimed at constructing a barrier along the approximately 2,000-mile southern border. In Texas, these plans have encountered broad opposition from various groups, including sheriffs, elected officials, tour guides, environmental organizations, and landowners.
Plans for the Big Bend National Park, a remote area known for its rugged landscape and clear night skies, have drawn particular criticism. While the government has stated that final plans for construction within the park have not been determined, publicly released proposals have included new roads, detection technology, and vehicle barriers. The sighting of bulldozers clearing land in the park in August sparked outrage, leading to a temporary pause in construction-related activities by Customs and Border Protection.
Concerns have been raised by various stakeholders. Native American groups have voiced worries that construction could impede religious practices and damage sacred sites. Environmentalists fear that the wall could disrupt wildlife migration patterns and exacerbate flooding. Local landowners, whose families have worked the land along the Rio Grande for generations, question how they will access water for livestock and crops if their access to the river is obstructed.