A bipartisan group of 43 Texas House members — including 40 Democrats and 3 Republicans — sent a letter this week to Gov. Greg Abbott urging him to take action to stop the Trump administration from moving forward with border infrastructure projects in and around Big Bend National Park.
Lawmakers cite concern for landscape and communities
In the letter delivered Thursday, the lawmakers said they opposed construction of border barriers in the Big Bend region, and specifically expressed "deep concern and opposition to construction of border barriers in the Big Bend region, particularly in Big Bend National Park." They framed their request as consistent with supporting secure borders while stressing the need for policies that are "effective, fiscally responsible, and respectful of the communities and landscapes we are sworn to protect."
The appeal coincided with visible activity in parts of the park earlier this week when visitors and residents reported seeing heavy equipment clearing what appeared to be paths through vegetation. Those sightings prompted protests and sharpened scrutiny of what federal crews were doing on public land.
Federal agencies push back on reports of a wall
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials and the Department of Homeland Security have disputed media accounts suggesting crews were building a massive barrier. The commissioner of CBP, speaking publicly, said the agency does not plan to construct a 30-foot-high wall through the national park but acknowledged that preparatory work for a broader border infrastructure effort is underway.
"What people are seeing is survey and design work — NOT construction of a wall or stadium lighting through Big Bend National Park, Big Bend Ranch State Park, or the Black Wildlife Management Area,"
The DHS post on X also asserted the department was "working to preserve the landscape and protect the access visitors and local residents depend on." Federal officials described the project as including new patrol roads, detection technology and vehicle barriers rather than a continuous concrete or steel wall.
Political fallout and local concerns
Significantly, the letter includes three Republican signatures. State Rep. Wes Virdell of Brady, one of the GOP lawmakers who added his name, told KXAN that his party could face political repercussions over how leaders handle the issue. The presence of Republicans on the letter underscores local and cross-aisle unease about federal activity inside protected lands.
Local residents, business owners and park visitors have raised objections in recent days, opposing what they view as intrusive construction in a fragile natural area. Law enforcement and land-management officials in the region have also voiced questions about the proposed scope and long-term effects of the federal work.
- 43 — total Texas House members who signed the letter
- 40 — Democrats
- 3 — Republicans
What officials say the project includes
Federal descriptions of the work emphasize planning and infrastructure other than a continuous wall. The elements mentioned publicly by DHS and CBP include:
- Survey and design work
- New patrol roads
- Detection technology
- Vehicle barriers
State lawmakers who signed the letter urged Gov. Abbott to intervene to ensure any federal action protects public lands, respects local communities and remains fiscally accountable. The letter framed opposition not as rejection of border security generally but as a call for a strategy that balances security with conservation and local needs.
Next steps and broader context
It remains unclear whether Abbott will step in and what tools the state might use if it seeks to slow or block federal work. Federal agencies maintain jurisdiction over national parks but state officials can pursue legal, regulatory or political avenues to challenge projects they view as harmful.
For residents of the Big Bend region, the dispute raises immediate questions about access, tourism and the landscape’s future. Big Bend National Park and neighboring public lands draw visitors for hiking, wildlife viewing and cultural resources — uses that local leaders say could be disrupted if large-scale infrastructure were installed through sensitive habitat.
As representatives and constituents await a response from the governor’s office, the exchange highlights how immigration policy, federal operations and local stewardship can collide in places where border security intersects with protected lands.
