CBP could 'reduce its scope' on Big Bend National Park border project
Big Bend National Park is seen in southern Texas, on August 15, 2026. (Photo by RONALDO SCHEMIDT / AFP via Getty Images)
The federal government is considering reducing the scope of a planned border project through Big Bend National Park, according to court documents filed in an ongoing federal lawsuit.
The Trump administration paused all plans for border construction in August amid pressure from opponents of the project, while they engaged in outreach efforts to those opponents. That pause ended Wednesday.
In court documents filed Tuesday night, the administration said that while it was lifting the pause on ground disturbing activities for the project, it was considering changes that would "reduce its scope and avoid on minimize potential impacts."
The court filing states that Customs and Border Protection anticipates making a final decision on the project during the first week of October, but "ground-disturbing work" would likely not begin for "several weeks."
Legal objections to construction mount against CBP
The backstory:
The Trump administration has faced several legal challenges seeking to stop construction in the park.
Tuesday's filing was in a lawsuit filed in April by the Center for Biological Diversity and other environmental groups seeking to challenge the waiver of laws they said was designed to fast track the construction.
In June, a Presidio and Presidio County economic development group sued the Trump administration claiming construction plans in the region would increase the threat of flooding in the Big Bend region.
In August, a tribal nonprofit and an outdoor recreation company sued to stop border wall-related construction. People of La Junta for Preservation said the project threatens archaeological resources and places of "culture and potentially religious significance" for its members.
CBP visits Big Bend construction site
Dig deeper:
CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott visited Big Bend in August after photos and videos showed heavy equipment moving through parts of the park.
Scott said the vehicles were doing survey and design work. He said that the agency had no plans to build a barrier wall inside the park. Tuesday's court filing reiterates this claim, stating that the original project called for 17 miles of vehicle barrier, construction of a new patrol road and installation of other technologies inside the park.
Former superintendent and Big Bend and chair of Keep Big Bend Wild Bob Krumenaker said the construction wasn't necessary because border security was already working in the park.
What they're saying:
"The Border Patrol, the National Park Service, and local sheriffs already operate an effective surveillance system with ground and aerial patrols and unobtrusive, wireless sensors. The rugged terrain, huge distances, and harsh desert weather in the national park and in Mexico across the Rio Grande make this the least active section of the entire southern border for illegal crossings," Krumenaker said in a statement.
Coalition to Protect America's National Parks Executive Director Emily Thompson said the construction would to "unprecedented damage" to the park.
"Building in Big Bend would be mutilating an extraordinary landscape at a massive cost to the taxpayer—with little ultimate benefit," Thompson said.
The Source: Information in this article comes from court documents filed in federal District Court of the Western District of Texas. Information on legal challenges against border projects in Big Bend comes from previous FOX Local reporting.