National Park in Texas in the Midst of a Battle Over Border Security Construction
· Telemundo McAllen (KTLM)
Known as the ghost town, Terlingua, Texas, has a population of just 178 residents. Surrounded by desert and exuding an old west vibe, this corner seems frozen in time. At night, darkness gives way to a star-filled sky and colors impossible to see in the city. Few houses stand here, but nearly all share a sign with the same message: a firm opposition to the construction of a border wall in the area of Big Bend National Park. 'Whether it's a nine-meter steel wall, four-inch steel vehicle barriers, or patrol roads cutting through this area, it will have a huge impact on our local economy, on tourism. It will have a huge impact on our wildlife, on the vegetation and habitat that exists along the Rio Grande, because, as you can imagine, in the middle of an immense desert, the only river that runs through it is incredibly important,' said Carlie, a Terlingua resident and activist. The small town at the gates of Big Bend is at the center of a national battle to halt construction activities advancing within and around this iconic national park. The federal government has stated it is not building a wall in the park. Following complaints from residents and activists, on Monday, Rodney Scott, the commissioner of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), announced a temporary suspension of all construction activities in Big Bend National Park while he conducts a personal visit and assessment of the area. Scott noted that the agency remains committed to 'protecting national security while also preserving one of the country's most important natural treasures.' Prior to this announcement, in a statement issued on August 13, Scott had assured that current work consists of building a new access road, improving existing roads, installing detection technology, and placing vehicle barriers in limited and strategic locations. He stated at that time that 'what people are seeing is assessment and design work, not the construction of a wall through the park.' Additionally, he dismissed reports of a 30-foot barrier or stadium-style lighting in Big Bend National Park, Big Bend Ranch State Park, or Black Gap Wildlife Management Area. The Department of Homeland Security also defended the project, arguing that the improvements aim to strengthen the capacity to detect irregular crossings, accelerate agent response, and provide assistance to visitors who may find themselves in danger. The agency maintained that the measures seek to protect access used by local residents and visitors while preserving the region's landscape. However, activists and nonprofit organizations are not satisfied with these responses from the federal government. On August 14, the organization People of La Junta for Preservation announced that it filed legal action to challenge construction activities related to border barriers along the Rio Grande, arguing that they threaten sacred Indigenous sites, ancestral remains, cultural landscapes, and religious practices that have endured for thousands of years. Concerns increased after heavy machinery was seen working near the Rio Grande and Santa Elena Canyon, one of the park's main attractions. The situation has also drawn criticism from environmentalists, former national park officials, and local sheriffs, who argue that this type of infrastructure is unnecessary in a remote region where, they claim, the natural terrain already serves as a significant barrier to irregular crossings. Last week, 44 state legislators from both parties sent a letter to Governor Greg Abbott asking him to use 'all available means' to urge the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to immediately halt demolition and construction activities in the national park area. Among those who have spoken out are Republican Senator John Cornyn and Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico. 'I will always support the security of our border, but local officials from both parties have expressed their concerns about the potential impacts in areas where the terrain already acts as a deterrent to illegal crossings, whether they are 300-meter-high river cliffs, deep canyons, or deserts,' Cornyn said. Cornyn reported that he sent a letter to DHS to express Texans' concerns about the projects in the region. Talarico, for his part, harshly criticized the initiative and stated that the Chisos Mountains already constitute a natural barrier in the region. He also questioned the use of public resources for projects he deemed unnecessary. 'We do not need this useless, shameful, and corrupt Big Bend border wall,' Talarico said. Telemundo 60 San Antonio requested a response from Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton; however, no response has been received so far. CROSSINGS DECREASE IN THIS SECTOR OF THE BORDER According to the Texas Tribune, the Big Bend Sector is the quietest of the nine sectors of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection along the border with Mexico. Although it encompasses about a quarter of the southwest border, it accounted for only 1.3% of the arrests recorded during fiscal year 2025. Additionally, CBP reported that the Big Bend Sector of the Border Patrol recorded a 74% reduction in arrests for illegal border crossings, dropping from 11,823 arrests in fiscal year 2023 to 3,096 in 2025. The agency attributed this decrease to a strategy that combines personnel, increased detection capabilities, and changes in border control policies. For some residents of the region, the figures do not justify the construction of a border wall. Janelle, an employee at Big Bend & Lajitas Stables, stated that she has never perceived a migration crisis in the area. 'I have lived here for 21 years and have never had the impression that there is any kind of crisis. In more than two decades working and riding horses in the state park bordering the river, I have never seen a single person cross illegally. I don't understand how that can be considered a crisis,' she said. In February, under then-Secretary Kristi Noem's direction, the Department of Homeland Security waived dozens of environmental laws to expedite the construction of barriers and roads in a section of the border. In May of this year, the Trump administration awarded a $1.7 billion contract for the construction of border infrastructure in Big Bend. As legal and political disputes continue, the future of border infrastructure in Big Bend remains a contentious issue.
AI summary · Source: Telemundo McAllen (KTLM) →
