Overview
- Early August contractors began clearing and doing preparatory road work inside and adjacent to Big Bend National Park, with photos and videos showing heavy equipment near Santa Elena Canyon.
- The Department of Homeland Security used sweeping waivers of federal environmental and historic preservation laws and awarded about $1.7 billion for the Big Bend projects, which planners say include vehicle barriers, patrol roads and detection infrastructure.
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection calls the activity preliminary work and road repairs for surveys, but critics say the on‑the‑ground clearing contradicts earlier CBP assurances that no physical wall would be built inside the park.
- Local leaders, river outfitters, former park superintendents and a bipartisan group of county sheriffs and judges have pressed state officials and lawmakers for answers; Sen. John Cornyn asked DHS to meet directly with Texas stakeholders and the state issued at least one cease‑and‑desist over cleared state land.
- Environmental groups have filed lawsuits to block the waivers and construction, and observers point to CBP data showing the Big Bend sector recorded a very small share of border apprehensions in 2025 as a key argument against the scale of work; court rulings, state actions and further DHS clarifications will shape whether clearing continues.