U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott announced on Monday that the agency is temporarily halting ongoing infrastructure projects at Big Bend National Park in West Texas. Scott said on the social media platform X that the pause would allow him to meet with local stakeholders and law enforcement this week, according to a report by Breitbart Texas.
The projects have drawn criticism from both sides of the political aisle. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) recently added his voice to local officials and James Talarico, the Democratic nominee in the 2026 Texas U.S. Senate race. In an August 7 letter to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, Cornyn echoed constituents’ belief that the region’s dangerous terrain serves as a “natural barrier that limits large-scale movements.” He urged Mullin to meet with stakeholders, reconsider the proposed infrastructure, and pause construction until concerns are addressed.
The pause follows a protest at the park earlier in August, organized by the Center for Biological Diversity. The event drew environmental activists and border security opponents from the border region and the Austin area. The group opposes border infrastructure from California to Texas, arguing it threatens ecology and culturally significant sites.
Abbott Claims Credit
Texas Governor Greg Abbott credited his outreach to DHS Secretary Mullin for influencing the decision. At a press event in Waco, Abbott said, “He committed to me they will not be building a wall or a fence in Big Bend National Park.” Abbott suggested technology could replace physical infrastructure in the region.
The projects have also been unpopular with ranchers outside the park. Many private landowners, who hold large tracts of land, are wary of losing access to their property due to barrier construction. They also worry about impacts on livestock and hunting from increased federal presence.
A Texas Tribune report found that as many as a third of landowners approached by the state in 2024 refused to allow Abbott’s border wall on their properties. Mike Novak, Executive Director of the Texas Facilities Commission overseeing border wall projects, called opposition the most daunting hurdle to completion, according to the Tribune.
Cost and Scope
Commissioner Scott did not specify how long the pause would last or its cost to taxpayers. The report notes that a 2021 border wall pause under the Biden administration cost taxpayers $6 million per day, with crews and equipment idle for months before projects were canceled.
This pause may cost less, particularly for the Big Bend projects. Under federal contract regulations, contractors must stop work, implement “make safe” activities, and mitigate costs during a pause.
CBP says the work involves one new access road, improvements to existing roads, installation of detection technology, and placement of vehicle barriers in limited strategic locations. The agency insists it is not constructing a 30-foot wall in the park.
Despite that, liberal activists allege the projects will destroy the park. Congressman Greg Casar (D-TX) celebrated the pause on X, saying, “The public outcry is working. Keep up the pressure until they fully abandon the plan to wreck Big Bend for no reason other than to make contractors money. Law enforcement, conservationists, Democrats, Republicans, Texans all agree: leave Big Bend alone.” Casar has been a vocal critic of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement and has called for abolishing ICE.
Public Input
CBP said it sought public input from June to July 2026 on potential impacts to the environment, culture, commerce, socioeconomic factors, and quality of life. The comment period closed on July 13. Scott did not indicate why additional outreach was needed.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/border/2026/08/17/cbp-pauses-border-security-projects-in-big-bend-national-park-amid-public-outcry/