Trump Administration Begins Border Wall Construction in Texas' Big Bend Region Amid Opposition
The first major construction in a heavily contested area marks a milestone in the administration's border wall plan, facing continued resistance from local groups.
The Trump administration has begun constructing a border wall through a west Texas section of the Big Bend region, the first major construction in an area that has met significant opposition. This development is a key step in the administration's broader initiative to build extensive border barriers.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) confirmed that "border wall panel installation is underway" along a 47-mile stretch in Hudspeth County, west Texas. The first 30-foot-tall steel wall panels were erected on September 15. This construction is distinct from a separate project within Big Bend National Park, where construction has been temporarily halted to engage with opponents.
Activists, landowners, environmental groups, business owners, and ranchers in the broader Big Bend region have voiced strong opposition, arguing that the remote area does not experience high rates of illegal immigration. Despite the ongoing construction, groups like the No Big Bend Wall Coalition have vowed to continue their fight.
"We will continue to fight for this land no matter what the outcome is. We will continue fighting to the end," said Clara Benson, a co-founder of the coalition, who was meeting with lawmakers in Washington, D.C. "You talk to people in west Texas and they say even if they put it up, we’ll fight for them to take it down. So this fight is not over."
The administration is accelerating its plan to line the U.S.-Mexico border with a combination of steel bollard walls, vehicle barriers, new patrol roads, and technology. CBP reports that it is currently building an average of 12 miles of barriers per week, having recently completed 200 miles of new barriers since the current administration took office. This pace has doubled from earlier figures cited by the agency.
Previous opposition has come from various groups, including environmental organizations, a small town concerned about potential flooding, Native American tribes citing the disturbance of sacred sites, and landowners whose property rights are affected. Earlier in the week, landowners, ranchers, and business owners in the Big Bend region, along with a nonprofit dedicated to the area's heritage, filed a lawsuit seeking to halt the administration's plans. Landowners have also engaged with local officials and refused access for surveying on their private property.