CBP Pauses Big Bend Construction Amid Lawsuits

Customs and Border Protection paused all construction activity in Big Bend National Park while top officials conduct an on-the-ground evaluation amid bipartisan opposition and concerns about environmental damage. Gov. Greg Abbott asserted there would be no barrier construction in the park, while CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott described the pause as a temporary review and emphasized listening to local stakeholders. The controversy centers on a plan that previously included a road, lights, miles of barriers to deter vehicle crossing, and buried fiber-optic technology, with critics arguing the projects would devastate pristine habitat and public access. It remains unclear whether the pause is temporary or a path to a longer halt, and what will happen to ongoing access-road work and other park infrastructure. The pause signals pushback against one of President Trump’s signature border-security efforts as lawsuits and local voices weigh in on the park’s future.