{"id":176347,"date":"2026-02-23T11:26:11","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T11:26:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/176347\/"},"modified":"2026-02-23T11:26:11","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T11:26:11","slug":"border-wall-is-closing-in-on-texas-big-bend-country","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/176347\/","title":{"rendered":"Border wall is closing in on Texas\u2019 Big Bend country"},"content":{"rendered":"

Audio recording is automated for accessibility. Humans wrote and edited the story. See our AI policy<\/a>, and give us feedback<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This story is published in partnership with Inside Climate News<\/a>, a nonprofit, independent news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. Sign up for the ICN newsletter here.<\/a><\/p>\n

REDFORD \u2014 Plans for a border wall through the Big Bend region of West Texas are raising alarms among residents and elected officials.<\/p>\n

U.S. Customs and Border Protection intends to build border barriers throughout this remote region of Texas that encompasses ranchland, small towns and a cherished state and national park.<\/p>\n

Last week, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security waived 28 laws<\/a> for environmental protection and historical and archeological preservation to expedite construction in a more than 150-mile stretch from Fort Quitman in Hudspeth County to Colorado Canyon in Big Bend Ranch State Park. An online map posted by CBP indicates that \u201csmart wall\u201d construction is planned both within the state park and in neighboring Big Bend National Park.<\/p>\n

Historically, the number of people crossing unauthorized into the United States in the Big Bend region is much lower than in more urban, populous areas. But since the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passed in July 2025, appropriated $46.5 billion for border wall construction, no region appears to be spared. <\/p>\n

While unauthorized border crossings have dropped dramatically in the past two years, the Trump administration is moving forward with the border wall, including in Arizona\u2019s San Rafael Valley and wildlife refuges in South Texas. <\/p>\n

According to the CBP website, construction for the smart wall<\/a> can include a steel bollard wall or waterborne barrier, \u201calong with roads, detection technology, cameras and lighting and in some cases a secondary wall.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Big Bend region may be next. In Presidio County, the Big Bend Sentinel<\/a> reported that landowners have been approached about leasing for barrier construction. Marfa Public Radio<\/a> reported that companies are looking for land for staging areas.<\/p>\n

\"\"Big Bend Ranch State Park is the largest in the Texas state park system. Martha Pskowski\/Inside Climate News<\/p>\n

The highest elected official for Brewster County, County Judge Greg Henington, spoke against the wall during a public appearance in the county seat of Alpine on Feb. 12. Big Bend National Park is in Brewster County.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis county judge sees no reason to go with a border wall in Brewster County,\u201d Henington, a Republican, said. \u201cI get border security, but there are other ways to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

David Keller, a noted archaeologist of the region, characterized the plans for border barriers in the Big Bend as \u201cthe military industrialization of one of the last, great, unspoiled places remaining in the United States of America.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of our most beloved national parks and our state\u2019s largest park will be scarred beyond repair,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

CBP has not responded to questions sent by Inside Climate News. U.S. Rep.Tony Gonzales, a Republican who represents Texas\u2019 23rd district, which includes the Big Bend area, did not respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n

CBP has offered little public information about border barrier construction in Big Bend. But word spreads quickly in the region\u2019s closely knit communities. During a conference last week in Alpine focused on water issues, attendees peppered speakers with questions about the wall.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Hudspeth County Judge Joanna MacKenzie, a Republican, said during the event she is opposed to wall construction in her rural county. \u201cIt\u2019s a Band aid to make people feel better who don\u2019t live here and don\u2019t see it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Feds waive rules to speed wall construction<\/p>\n

Hudspeth County has roughly 100 miles of border with Mexico along the \u201cForgotten Reach<\/a>\u201d of the Rio Grande. To the southeast is Presidio County, where the only existing border barrier is recently installed<\/a> concertina wire in the city of Presidio at its border crossing with Ojinaga, Mexico. Presidio County Judge Joe Portillo has said that alternatives to a physical wall should be explored.<\/p>\n

The Rio Grande and the Rio Conchos, which flows north from Mexico, converge at Presidio. The area, known as La Junta de los Rios, has a rich Indigenous history.<\/p>\n

Keller, the archaeologist, said the proposed border wall would destroy thousands of years of Native American history stored in the soils around La Junta de los Rios. Among the laws waived by DHS were the Archaeological and Historic Preservation Act and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act.<\/p>\n

DHS issued the waivers to expedite construction through Hudspeth and Presidio counties on Feb. 13. The order, signed by Secretary Kristi Noem, called the Big Bend Sector \u201can area of high illegal entry where illegal aliens regularly attempt to enter the United States and smuggle illicit drugs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Charlie Angell, a resident of Redford in Presidio County, argues otherwise. He said in more than a decade owning property on the Rio Grande, he has never seen anyone enter illegally on his land. He said he will refuse to sell his property, which includes his residence some 250 feet from the river. <\/p>\n

\u201cI plan to live here the rest of my life,\u201d he said. \u201cI don\u2019t want to start over.\u201d<\/p>\n

Through his company Angell Expeditions, he has taken thousands of people on river trips on the Rio Grande. He said the river attracts wildlife \u2014 javelinas, foxes, bobcats \u2014 out of the surrounding desert seeking water. The wall could cut them off, too. Angell\u2019s property also includes the El Polvo archaeological site, which would be impacted by any construction.<\/p>\n

\"\"River guide Charlie Angell holds a pottery shard from the El Polvo archeological site near his home on Feb. 16. Martha Pskowski\/Inside Climate News<\/p>\n

\"\"Charlie Angell at his property in Redford. Martha Pskowski\/Inside Climate News<\/p>\n

Just downstream of Angell\u2019s property, Big Bend Ranch State Park offers 300,000 acres of rugged desert expanses for hikers and mountain bikers and Rio Grande access for paddlers. CBP\u2019s map indicates border barrier construction from the western edge of the park to Colorado Canyon, a common starting point for paddling trips. The map shows the barrier picking back up again further southeast in the park and passing through the town of Lajitas. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has not received a request from the federal government for any border-barrier infrastructure within Big Bend Ranch State Park,\u201d said spokesperson Stephanie Garcia.<\/p>\n

Big Bend National Park lies southeast of the state park. The world-renowned national park draws visitors to explore the Rio Grande, hike the Chisos Mountains, observe wildlife and experience some of the darkest skies in the continent. Despite its remote location, more than 500,000 people visit the park every year. The National Park Service estimates the park contributed<\/a> $56.8 million to the local economy in 2024.<\/p>\n

Over the weekend, CBP updated its online map<\/a> to show plans for smart wall construction within Big Bend National Park. Previously, the map had indicated \u201cdetection technology\u201d would be used within the national park. <\/p>\n

The area now highlighted for smart wall construction begins at Santa Elena Canyon and continues along the river until Mariscal Canyon. The map then shows the smart wall continuing on the other side of the canyon to the Hot Springs, through the Rio Grande Village campground and Boquillas border crossing, stopping at the entrance to Boquillas Canyon. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe have no knowledge of any plans for a border wall,\u201d said Don Corrick, the spokesperson for Big Bend National Park, on Friday. National Park Service headquarters did not respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo far from everything\u201d<\/p>\n

Lilia Falcon is a lifelong resident of Boquillas del Carmen, a small town overlooking the Rio Grande within Mexico\u2019s Maderas del Carmen Natural Reserve. The only legal border crossing between the United States and Mexico in Big Bend is at Boquillas. <\/p>\n

On Feb. 14, dozens of visitors tramped down the dirt road to the river crossing, shelling out $5 each to be guided across. Many of them ended up at Jos\u00e9 Falcon\u2019s Restaurant overlooking the river, eating enchiladas and drinking Mexican beer. <\/p>\n

Lilia Falcon now runs the restaurant founded by her father Jos\u00e9 in 1973. She said that people in Boquillas are opposed to a wall.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have always said we have our own beautiful, natural walls: the canyons,\u201d she said while taking a break from working the restaurant\u2019s cash register.<\/p>\n

\"\"Lilia Falcon runs the restaurant her father, Jos\u00e9 Falcon, founded in Boquillas del Carmen, Mexico. Martha Pskowski\/Inside Climate News<\/p>\n

Sheer rock canyons rise above the Rio Grande both upstream and downstream of Boquillas. The community is three hours by road to the nearest sizable town in Coahuila. Falcon said its remoteness has always deterred people from attempting to cross unauthorized into Texas. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe are so far from everything,\u201d she said. \u201cBig Bend has always been very protected.\u201d<\/p>\n

On the U.S. side of the border, nearly 100 miles of rugged parkland and a Border Patrol checkpoint separate any potential border crossers from the closest U.S. town to the north. Border Patrol also operates within the park.<\/p>\n

Falcon said wildlife would suffer if a border barrier is built. She pointed out that the black bears now living in Big Bend crossed into the park from Mexico. Falcon also worries that flooding could damage or wash away any border infrastructure installed along the river. <\/p>\n

During the first Trump administration, women in Boquillas embroidered messages against the wall on handicrafts. Tourists could pick up handmade koozies or tortilla warmers with anti-wall slogans. A bumper sticker reading \u201cNo Al Muro\u201d still adorns a minifridge at the restaurant. <\/p>\n

Falcon said they may start embroidering \u201cNo Al Muro\u201d once again.<\/p>\n

Disclosure: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune\u2019s journalism. Find a complete\u00a0list of them here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"The Rio Grande flows through Big Bend National Park. The river separates the park from Mexico. Martha Pskowski\/Inside Climate News<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Audio recording is automated for accessibility. Humans wrote and edited the story. See our AI policy, and give…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":176348,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[2668,61695,71000,39751,27,29,28],"class_list":{"0":"post-176347","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-texas","8":"tag-border-security","9":"tag-border-wall","10":"tag-brewster-county","11":"tag-parks-and-recreation","12":"tag-texas","13":"tag-texas-headlines","14":"tag-texas-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/176347","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=176347"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/176347\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/176348"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=176347"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=176347"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=176347"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}