Trump pauses Big Bend border project amid bipartisan backlash in Texas

Washington,UPDATED: Aug 18, 2026 01:52 IST

The Trump administration has temporarily paused construction of a disputed border project in Texas' Big Bend Park, with the head of US Customs and Border Protection set to visit the area for an on-the-ground review. The move comes after strong bipartisan opposition from critics who say the work is damaging the park's environment, even as border crossings in the area have historically been lower than in other regions and have fallen further over the past two years.

It is not yet clear whether the pause will lead to a longer halt in construction, but it marks a rare step back by the administration on one of President Donald Trump's signature promises. Congress gave the administration USD 46 billion last summer to build a wall from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico, and officials have been pushing ahead while waiving several regulations to speed up the work.

Rodney Scott, who heads Customs and Border Protection, said on X: "CBP is pausing all construction activity in Big Bend Park while I visit and conduct a personal, on-the-ground evaluation." He added that over the next couple of days, he would "listen to local leadership, community members and stakeholders" to address what he described as "real" national security threats while protecting the park.

Scott has said he expects the first layer of the wall to be built by the end of next year. But the administration has faced especially strong resistance in Texas, particularly over construction in and near Big Bend Park and a state park to the west.

Earlier this year, Customs and Border Protection dropped plans for a 30-foot-tall bollard wall through the parks, but it continued with other border measures. These include a new road, lights, miles of barriers meant to stop vehicles crossing the border, and technology such as fibre optic cables to be buried under the fences.

The continuing work has drawn opposition from Democratic and Republican sheriffs in the region, former national park officials, local residents who depend on the parks for their livelihood, and some Texas elected representatives. Critics say the project will scar the rugged landscape that draws tourists to raft on the Rio Grande River and to see some of the clearest night skies in the US.

Last week, bulldozers were seen clearing land in the park, leading to fresh concern and questions from one of the state's Republican senators. Senator John Cornyn, who lost the Republican primary to the state's attorney general, wrote to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin over the construction. Cornyn wrote: "My constituents believe that the 1,000-foot riverbank cliffs and remote Big Bend terrain offers its own source of deterrence for any illegal migrants crossing into the United States. The dangerous terrain includes steep mountains, deep canyons, and expansive deserts which they believe act as a natural barrier that limits large-scale movements."

For now, construction in Big Bend Park has been put on hold while Scott reviews the project and meets local stakeholders, after growing opposition to border work in and around the park.

With PTI Inputs

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