CBP pauses Big Bend National Park construction following lawsuits over border wall
CBP pauses Big Bend National Park construction
Tyunews.com – CBP pauses Big Bend National Park construction after multiple lawsuits and mounting political pressure forced the agency to halt border-barrier work inside the Texas park. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott announced the suspension on Monday via a post on X, saying he would travel to the area for a firsthand assessment before any further decisions are made.
"CBP is pausing all construction activity in Big Bend National Park while I visit and need to conduct a personal, on-the-ground evaluation," Scott wrote. "CBP is firmly committed to protecting America, and that includes our national treasures like Big Bend National Park (BBNP). We know the current and predictable national security threats, and they are real."
Before the work stoppage, crews had been assembling what officials described as a limited barrier structure rather than the full 30-foot wall originally envisioned for the stretch. The pause means no new steel panels, posts, or foundation work will proceed until Scott completes his site visit and issues further direction.
Legal Challenges and Political Pressure
The decision to stop work arrived amid a wave of federal court filings seeking to enjoin border-barrier construction within the park. Texas Senator John Cornyn, a Republican, had sent a letter in early August to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin outlining opposition from a bipartisan coalition of border sheriffs, county judges, private landowners, and park advocates. Cornyn warned that residents near the park feared the structure would scar the landscape, endanger Native American sites, disrupt wildlife migration corridors, and harm the regional economy.
Texas State Senator Roland Gutierrez, a Democrat, took the matter to federal court, suing the administration over the proposed barriers. Speaking on ABC News Live alongside Kyra Phillips, Gutierrez described the project as a threat to sacred land, archaeological sites, and national resources. He reported that crews had already clear-cut roughly two miles of terrain and questioned whether barriers were warranted in such a remote sector. Gutierrez called the endeavor a waste of taxpayer dollars and insisted the administration must honor statutes safeguarding national parkland.
The construction had become possible only after former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem waived specific statutes that would otherwise have restricted building within the park boundaries, clearing the legal path for crews to enter the site.
Local Law Enforcement Welcomes the Halt
Terrell County Sheriff Thaddeus Cleveland, a Republican and former Border Patrol agent, praised Scott's decision to stop work. Cleveland said he had urged the commissioner to visit the area for months, believing from the outset that the original plan was fundamentally flawed.
"I'm glad Commissioner Scott is finally coming out to the Big Bend. I've been encouraging him to visit for months because I've believed from the first announcement that the original plan was flawed," Cleveland told ABC News.
Cleveland added that he hopes Scott will examine other border sectors as well, arguing that walls cannot be applied uniformly across every stretch of the boundary. "There is still an opportunity to make this plan better and to tailor it to the realities of this part of the border," he said.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the CBP pause at Big Bend National Park mean in practical terms? All active construction—steel panel installation, post driving, grading, and related earthwork—has stopped inside the park. No new work will begin until Commissioner Scott completes his on-site evaluation and issues further guidance to field crews.
Will the border-barrier project be canceled entirely? Scott's statement does not cancel the project. He framed the pause as an opportunity for a personal, on-the-ground review. The administration has not announced a final decision on whether barriers will ultimately be built in the park.
What role did the lawsuits play in triggering the pause? Multiple federal court filings sought to block the construction. Combined with political pressure from elected officials and local law-enforcement leaders, the legal challenges created conditions under which continuing work carried significant institutional risk. Scott's stated reason for the pause is his own site visit, but the timing aligns with the escalation of litigation.
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