CBP pauses Big Bend border construction after local opposition
U. S. Customs and Border Protection halted construction inside Big Bend National Park after meeting with ranchers, sheriffs and state officials who questioned the need for new patrol roads and barriers. The agency said the pause would allow a review of the project’s scope. Earlier this month, federal contractors began clearing desert vegetation and preparing roadways for a $1.
7-$1. 72 billion border-security initiative, deploying bulldozers at sites such as Santa Elena Canyon. The work sparked criticism from environmental groups, local residents and politicians, who warned that the construction could damage the park’s ecosystem and questioned its necessity. The pause follows a series of statements from CBP leadership, including Commissioner Rodney Scott, who ordered the suspension and indicated the agency may revise its plans after the stakeholder consultations.
