The Trump administration has waived 28 environmental and historical preservation laws to expedite construction of a border wall through Big Bend National Park in south Texas, despite plunging border crossings. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published the waiver in the Federal Register on Tuesday, empowering Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to build security infrastructure—from 30-foot steel fencing to unpaved roads—without complying with laws such as the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Clean Water Act.
Big Bend National Park, an 800,000-acre expanse of Chihuahuan Desert and the Chisos Mountains, draws half a million visitors annually. The waiver allows construction in a region that is home to endangered species, bighorn sheep, and Native American rock art. The only formal proposal so far includes a 17-mile vehicle barrier system with 4-6-foot steel rails, 205 miles of roads, utility poles, lighting, and surveillance cameras. Two barriers are planned along the park's river frontage.
Local leaders and public land advocates have fiercely criticised the move. US Representative Lloyd Doggett, a Texas Democrat, called it “ludicrous,” noting that illegal crossings in the Big Bend sector account for less than 0.5% of all border crossings nationwide. “Billions of taxpayer dollars are being wasted on this unnecessary project,” Doggett said in a statement.
Bob Krumenaker, former Big Bend superintendent and head of Keep Big Bend Wild, described the impact as “massive destruction.” He added, “You’re looking at some of the most remote parts of a remote national park.” CBP had previously sent mixed signals about its plans, updating an interactive map in February to show a steel bollard wall, then later changing it to indicate only detection technology and vehicle barriers.
