U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott has paused border construction in Big Bend National Park while he conducts an on-site review following bipartisan, local and environmental opposition to the project.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has temporarily stopped construction activity in Big Bend National Park as Commissioner Rodney Scott prepares to personally review the project and meet with local officials and other stakeholders.
Scott announced the pause Monday after opposition grew over planned border-security work in the remote West Texas park, including concerns from Republican officials, residents, businesses, environmental groups and law enforcement.
“I put a pause on all activity in that park, as far as construction goes, until I can get down there and do a personal evaluation, talk to some stakeholders, talk to some local law enforcement in that area,” Scott said in a video posted on X. “More to follow this week.”
In a separate statement, Scott said he and a small team would travel to the area to assess the project directly.
He said the group will “evaluate the terrain and listen to local leadership, community members and stakeholders to ensure that we secure our borders while simultaneously protecting BBNP for generations to come.”
The decision came after bulldozers arrived at Big Bend National Park for work CBP described as surveying and design activity.
It was not immediately clear how long construction would remain paused or whether Scott’s review could result in changes to the project’s scope.
CBP has sought to counter claims that the project would involve a conventional large-scale border wall through the park.
The agency said last week that it does not intend to construct a 30-foot wall or install stadium-style lighting inside Big Bend National Park.
Instead, CBP said its plans call for vehicle barriers, patrol and access roads, cameras, sensors and other detection systems while preserving visitor access.
“These improvements will help our agents detect illegal crossings, respond faster, and assist visitors in danger,” Scott said. “As we strengthen the border across the Southwest, we will not leave Big Bend as an opening for cartels to exploit by shifting their routes and tactics.”
The broader Big Bend project is backed by a $1.7 billion contract awarded May 11.
The contract covers 17 miles of vehicle barriers and patrol roads, along with 205 miles of what CBP describes as “system attributes,” which combine roads with surveillance and detection technology throughout the region.
Opponents argue the unique geography of Big Bend already creates a formidable natural barrier.
The area is marked by cliffs, mountains and rugged desert terrain, conditions critics say make illegal crossings difficult without extensive new construction.
They have also warned that development could damage wildlife habitat, alter scenic areas and hurt an economy that relies heavily on visitors drawn to the park’s largely undeveloped landscape.
The Big Bend Sector spans 517 miles of the southern border, yet it recorded the fewest apprehensions among the Border Patrol’s nine southern border sectors during fiscal 2025.
The sector accounted for 1.3% of more than 237,000 apprehensions recorded along the U.S.-Mexico border that year.
Those figures have contributed to arguments from critics who question whether the scale of the proposed infrastructure is necessary in the region.
Opposition has crossed party lines.
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, urged Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to stop construction pending consultations with local communities.
In an Aug. 7 letter, Cornyn asked the department to ensure that security improvements take into account both the park’s landscape and its importance to the local economy.
Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, also a Republican, raised a separate objection after her office said federal contractors had carried out unauthorized work on state-managed property in Presidio County.
On July 31, Buckingham sent cease-and-desist letters to CBP and Barnard Construction, alleging that a contractor illegally cleared more than a mile of state-managed land.
She also demanded that the affected property be restored.
Federal officials had previously taken steps to accelerate construction by waiving a range of environmental and preservation requirements.
In February, then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem invoked federal waiver authority to set aside more than two dozen environmental and historic preservation laws for planned barriers and roads in the Big Bend Sector.
A separate waiver issued in May covered additional projects in the region.
Scott’s decision does not cancel the project or the underlying contract.
Instead, construction inside the park will remain paused while he reviews conditions firsthand and speaks with local officials, law enforcement, residents and other stakeholders.
The commissioner said that review will guide the agency’s next steps as CBP seeks to balance its border-security plans with concerns about protecting Big Bend National Park and the surrounding communities.
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