https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/federal-contractors-begin-border-construction-in-big-bend-national-park-2026-08-06/

"Bulldozers broke ground today on border barrier and road construction in Big Bend National Park amid widespread bipartisan opposition. Videos shared with the Center for Biological Diversity show contractors plowing through native vegetation along the Rio Grande's riparian corridor, with the iconic Santa Elena Canyon visible in the background."

"Opposition to the project spans the political spectrum. All five sheriffs along the Big Bend border region have opposed barrier construction, saying the region's mountains, canyons, desert and Rio Grande already provide a formidable natural barrier. All 14 Texas border county judges have called for greater transparency and border security measures better suited to the terrain. Seven former Big Bend National Park superintendents have urged DHS to reject the waivers. Last week, the Texas land commissioner sent a cease-and-desist order to Customs and Border Protection and federal contractors for illegally clearing state land for border wall construction."

As a generally conservative voter, but also a true conservationist this has always seemed like such a stupid move by the feds.

Pantera said:

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https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/federal-contractors-begin-border-construction-in-big-bend-national-park-2026-08-06/

"Bulldozers broke ground today on border barrier and road construction in Big Bend National Park amid widespread bipartisan opposition. Videos shared with the Center for Biological Diversity show contractors plowing through native vegetation along the Rio Grande's riparian corridor, with the iconic Santa Elena Canyon visible in the background."

"Opposition to the project spans the political spectrum. All five sheriffs along the Big Bend border region have opposed barrier construction, saying the region's mountains, canyons, desert and Rio Grande already provide a formidable natural barrier. All 14 Texas border county judges have called for greater transparency and border security measures better suited to the terrain. Seven former Big Bend National Park superintendents have urged DHS to reject the waivers. Last week, the Texas land commissioner sent a cease-and-desist order to Customs and Border Protection and federal contractors for illegally clearing state land for border wall construction."

As a generally conservative voter, but also a true conservationist this has always seemed like such a stupid move by the feds.

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Totally agree. Dozens of ways to monitor and prevent illegal crossings in Big Bend that don't require a barrier. This is the most destructive and most expensive of the available options and totally not needed out there.

Agreed. Spend the money snd resouces where the problems are.

Senseless, expensive, political theatre, and Texans are paying the highest price.

A wall in NM or AZ might make some sense because it can be placed on the actual border.

Along a river is a nightmare - it creates a DMZ no man's land, keeps people and wildlife from accessing the river, and the stormwater is going to be a very big issue. All of the normal rules were suspended just so the wall could be finished while Trump is still in office. The construction companies just made guesses about water crossings in their bids by looking at Google Earth. That is already proving to be a mistake with some of the recent rain events. They needed to take the time to look at watersheds, soils, 100 year flood quantities, etc., and they simply did not do that.

"Bids" is theater as well.

These contracts were awarded to the swamp cronies.

My guess? They will push dirt around for a few months. Maybe pour some concrete. Do just enough work to get paid before lawsuits stop the work, and this gets kicked around in the courts until the next election.

Then someone will "win" the bid to undo the work, etc.

And repeat. All at the cost of taxpayers.

I think that's a best case. From what I can tell, they are setting up to steamroll some landowners, put the wall up as fast as possible, and it's going to be very low quality / poorly engineered work because the incentives / penalties are all tied to delivering on time.

There are wall sections that are being built on top of sand that is at least 10 feet deep and across sandy washouts. Some of these areas only get 20 inches of rain per year, but most of that happens in just a handful of rain events. In short order, there will be countless examples of flooding / walls falling over / buoys breaking loose. It's going to be a mess.

Where's the Monkey Wrench Gang when you need them?

Big Bend is one of my favorite places, this is disappointing to see - I never thought it would actually happen, I thought it was just political theater. And now dozers are active? Unbelievable. I hope common sense ultimately prevails.

Utterly senseless destruction of Texas's pristine wilderness.

It's bull****, on multiple levels.

Voted Trump twice.

If he were to run again, I'd vote against him based on this issue only.

I hope lawsuits stop this until some administration ends it permanently.

wessimo said:

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Utterly senseless destruction of Texas's pristine wilderness.

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This. What a sad society we have become. I don't know what the hell it is with us as a species. We can't help but **** up nature and the land. We just can't help ourselves.

Who would you vote for? You'd disregard other issues because of this one?

This incenses me.

So ****ing stupid. Why do people keep voting for this?!

BrazosDog02 said:

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wessimo said:

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Utterly senseless destruction of Texas's pristine wilderness.

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This. What a sad society we have become. I don't know what the hell it is with us as a species. We can't help but **** up nature and the land. We just can't help ourselves.

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I think it's because the majority of people in the US are sedentary, don't spend much (if any) time doing outdoor activities, and are happy to experience life through a screen rather than being out in it.

Heck, many people that go outdoors don't even like it. I enjoy trail running/racing, and sometimes run local jogging trails just to get miles.. Yesterday I passed 12 people, and 11 of them were glued to their phones while 'running'.

Just too many people who don't feel any connection to being anywhere but the couch and their phone.

And yes, I'm aware of the irony of my post haha.

You are 100% correct. Most people have never lived somewhere that they can see the stars and don't have another house or light to see for miles and miles. Nature and outdoors for most is a novelty and something to do over the weekend. So, it's mostly out of sight and out of mind.

It's a lot like guns and hunting and as long as all that remains the case, we will watch both disappear quietly without so much as a raised eyebrow.

Our great grandchildren will live in a much different world. Not to go nuts on the hyperbole, but we are living in the show "The Last of Us"....except humans aren't infected by a fungus, humans ARE the fungus.

But, it's also just the course of progress. in the late 1770's, 95% of everyone lived or worked on farms/land. Today, the google says it's less than 2%.

This. No one POTUS is going to do every single thing the way I want it done. Gotta take the bad with the good…..as long as the good far outweighs the bad.

Squid94 said:

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Who would you vote for? You'd disregard other issues because of this one?

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Plenty of conservatives who realize that this is a dumb idea. Even Brandon Herrera has voiced his problems with this matter.

It may seem meaningless but everybody on this thread should contact their congress person and our two senators. An email is fine. Don't copy and paste from some website. Just express your concern for the area. Make it personal and let them know you're a republican, or that you voted for that person or that you voted for the president. They need to hear that their people are concerned. Contact information is on their official (congress/senate). Also contact your state rep and state senator. Regardless of where you live in the state, a personal connection to BBNP and a plea goes farther than a message board complaint.

Gunny456 said:

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This. No one POTUS is going to do every single thing the way I want it done. Gotta take the bad with the good…..as long as the good far outweighs the bad.

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Agree, Gunny. Respectfully, I think you and I have differing scorecards.

Maybe, maybe not. But I think it's a given that Obama, Biden, Harris and maybe a future AOC or Newsome definitely would not/will not build a wall through BBNP nor anywhere else and I didn't/wouldn't vote for any of them….nor do think you would.

I will never vote for a Democrat, but if Republicans continue to do stupid sh/t like this, I may just sit out future elections.

Absolutely sickening to see. This administration Fs up so much stuff, but this is the worst thing they've done in my book.

Captain Winky said:

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I will never vote for a Democrat, but if Republicans continue to do stupid sh/t like this, I may just sit out future elections.

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Same. Trump has said and done some real head shakers. This is pitifully beyond comprehension.

Awful!

The worst part of this is it is all just performative bull***** Trump just owning the Libs.
Complete failure of leadership by all Rs to stand up to this.