Key facts
- A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from expanding border wall construction in Big Bend National Park.
- The ruling halts construction and ground disturbance unless federal laws are followed.
- The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) waivers suspending environmental and historical protection laws were blocked.
- The Center for Biological Diversity called the ruling a "historic victory" for the park.
- CBP has awarded contracts totaling more than $6 billion for border security infrastructure in Big Bend.
A federal judge has temporarily halted the Trump administration's plans to expand border wall construction and related infrastructure across west Texas's Big Bend region. US district judge Kathleen Cardone issued the ruling after a hearing on Friday, dealing a significant setback to the administration's efforts to rapidly build border security measures.
The decision came in response to a lawsuit filed by environmental groups, including the Center for Biological Diversity, and local advocates who argued that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) improperly used waivers to suspend dozens of environmental and historical protection laws. These waivers were intended to expedite the construction of roads, vehicle barriers, and fencing within Big Bend National Park and surrounding areas.
Judge Cardone's ruling blocks CBP from undertaking border security infrastructure construction or ground disturbance unless it complies with the federal laws that DHS attempted to suspend. The judge found that the plaintiffs were likely to succeed in their case and would suffer irreparable harm if construction proceeded. The Center for Biological Diversity hailed the ruling as a victory for the national park, though acknowledged the fight is ongoing.
CBP has already awarded contracts exceeding $6 billion for the Big Bend region, which contains a long stretch of the US-Mexico border without existing wall infrastructure. The agency maintains its legal authority to secure the border while preserving the landscape and is reviewing next steps with the Department of Justice.