Federal border enforcement agencies have begun construction of a border wall in the Big Bend region, despite continued opposition from locals.
Although the physical border wall begins approximately 150 miles north of Big Bend Ranch State Park and never goes through either Big Bend National Park or Ranch State Park, locals are still opposed to the project, arguing that the greater region is not an “area of high illegal activity.”
AP News reports that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection began construction of the border wall in Hudspeth County on September 15.
According to the DHS website, the Big Bend region border wall project begins south of El Paso in Hudspeth County and ends at the Amistad Reservoir.
It consists of a physical border wall before reaching Big Bend Ranch State Park. The map shows proposed plans will utilize modern protective technology and patrol roads through both the state and national parks. Intermittent sections within Big Bend National Park are marked for a “vehicle barrier system,” which is to be utilized in the stretch from outside the park to the Amistad Reservoir.
After local opponents voiced concerns earlier this year about the construction of a physical border wall through the parks, the Department of Homeland Security’s updated “Smart Wall” website now shows that a physical border wall is not planned there.
A local coalition, No Big Bend Wall, argues that more than 500 landowners “stand to lose access to the Rio Grande” and that the construction could impact flooding intensity, habitats for endangered species, and tourism.
Previously, former Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem classified the area as an “area of high illegal activity,” which the coalition disputes.
They argue that the area has the lowest number of illegal alien encounters, citing decreased numbers over the past five years, and that the “remote and mountainous desert environment serves as a natural deterrent.”
In August, CBP released a statement regarding the “Big Bend border security projects.”
The agency clarified that it is “building one new access road, improving existing roads, installing detection technology, and placing vehicle barriers in limited, strategic locations,” and “are NOT building a 30-foot wall or stadium lighting through Big Bend National Park, Big Bend Ranch State Park, or the Black Gap Wildlife Management Area.”
“As we strengthen the border across the Southwest, we will not leave Big Bend as an opening for cartels to exploit by shifting their routes and tactics,” wrote CBP. “We are securing this park to protect its legacy—keeping it safe, secure, and pristine so American families can enjoy the beauty of our country, free from cartel activity and without fear, for generations to come.”
Local landowners have filed a lawsuit against the CBP and DHS, alleging the agency’s action went beyond their authority and legal power; that their claims are unsupported by substantial evidence; and that they violated the Fifth Amendment and the Take Care Clause.
The plaintiffs are requesting a judgement that nullifies the “high illegal entry” determination; preliminary and permanent injunctions blocking the project “in the absence of lawful authority and required procedures”; and an order “vacating and setting aside the Secretary’s ‘high illegal entry’ Determinations for the Big Bend Sector,” as well as “all agency actions and notices issued to effectuate the Project.”
