The Department of Homeland Security has responded to media reports of bulldozing activity in Big Bend National Park, stating that U.S. Customs and Border Protection is conducting limited survey, design, and infrastructure work rather than building a continuous wall through the park or adjacent protected areas.
In a recent post on X, the department said that “The mainstream media is fear mongering about our work at Big Bend …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. We are working to preserve the landscape and protect the access visitors and local residents depend on.”
The mainstream media is fear mongering about our work at Big Bend. Here’s what’s actually happening: @CBP is building ONE new access road, improving existing roads, installing detection technology, and placing vehicle barriers in limited, strategic locations.
What people are… https://t.co/SiGbHpGAFF
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) August 13, 2026
The statement followed an August 12 Washington Post report that government contractors were bulldozing parts of the park as the Trump administration begins a $46.5 billion effort to expand a wall and other security infrastructure along the Mexico border. Environmentalists told the newspaper the work would irreversibly reshape the renowned park.
CBP Commissioner’s Official Clarification
CBP Commissioner Rodney S. Scott issued a formal statement on August 13 that closely matched the DHS post:
“Big Bend belongs to the American people, and our job is to keep it safe. So, let’s be clear about what is—and is not—happening there,” Scott said. “CBP is building one new access road, improving existing roads, installing detection technology, and placing vehicle barriers in limited, strategic locations. We 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. What people are seeing right now is survey and design work—NOT construction of a wall through the park. We are working to preserve the landscape and protect the access visitors and local businesses depend on.”
Scott added that the improvements would help agents “detect illegal crossings, respond faster, and assist visitors in danger” and prevent cartels from exploiting the area. “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 fear of cartel activity, for generations to come.”
Project Scope and Contract Details
Federal records show the Department of Homeland Security awarded a $1.72 billion contract in May 2026 to Southwest Valley Constructors Co. for work identified as the Big Bend 4 segment, listed on USAspending.gov as a “construction task order for border wall in Big Bend Texas.”
CBP has stated that the project includes approximately 17 miles of vehicle barrier systems—described as low-profile steel posts and rails, typically 4 to 6 feet tall, intended to block vehicles—and about 205 miles of patrol roads and/or detection technology such as cameras and sensors, depending on location. The agency has repeatedly said it is not planning 30-foot-high barriers inside the national park, Big Bend Ranch State Park, or the Black Gap Wildlife Management Area.
The work is funded as part of the broader $46.5 billion border security allocation in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed by President Donald Trump. DHS has waived multiple federal environmental and other laws to expedite projects in the Big Bend Sector. A federal judge declined to block construction earlier this month.
Local and Environmental Concerns
Environmental groups, landowners, outdoor enthusiasts, and some local business owners have opposed the activity. Laiken Jordahl of the Center for Biological Diversity, which has sued over border barrier projects, told NPR that “If we lose places like Big Bend, we never get them back. The destruction that will be inflicted here will truly be irreparable.”
Some Texas Republicans, including U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, have asked federal officials to meet with locals. Crossings in the Big Bend Sector have been among the lowest along the southern border in recent data.
CBP maintains the current activity is preparatory and limited, and that the infrastructure will use existing roads where possible while protecting visitor access.
