Overview
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott ordered construction stopped last Monday and a DHS court filing says in‑park work is paused through at least the end of August.
- Two lawsuits from People of La Junta for Preservation and Far Flung Outdoor Center seek injunctions to block construction in the Big Bend region and a federal hearing on the requests is scheduled for this week.
- Department of Homeland Security attorneys defend the program in court as necessary for border security and say mitigation steps are in place while describing alleged harms as speculative.
- Local residents and activists have protested road grading and clearing near Terlingua and Porvenir, and a local archaeologist says contractors have already damaged the Porvenir Massacre site.
- The halted work affects only in‑park activity while a larger, funded Smart Wall buildout that uses expedited waivers for roads, barriers and surveillance remains planned across the region.