Texas lawmakers are pushing back against the plans to expand border infrastructure near Big Bend National Park, arguing that increased security efforts could threaten the park’s wildlife.
Last week, the House Appropriations Committee considered the Big Bend National Park Boundary Adjustment Act, which would expand the park’s boundaries by adding new land. Representative Henry Cuellar (D-TX), joined by other Democrats on the committee, introduced an amendment to bar the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from using federal funds to build border barriers within Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park as part of these expansion efforts.
Republicans rejected the amendment and claimed the physical barriers are necessary for border security, but Rep. Cuellar counters that border security does not mean sacrificing public land protection.
“We can maintain strong border security while using technology and other effective tools that protect the natural beauty, history, and economic value of these iconic landscapes,” Rep. Cuellar said.
Rep. Cuellar said illegal border crossings in this area are already low, which Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) said is because the park’s mountains make it extremely difficult. Taxpayer dollars do not need to be “wasted” on this “unnecessary project,” he said.
“Big Bend's rugged mountains make illegal crossings nearly impossible, with crossings in the area accounting for under half a percentage point of all illegal border crossings nationwide last year,” Rep. Doggett said.
Rep. Doggett also took issue with DHS waiving 28 federal environmental and historic preservation laws in the park to construct new border barrier technology and roads.
"Waiving dozens of federal environmental protections in Big Bend National Park—a true crown jewel of Texas—will damage the park's natural environment, increase flash flooding along the border and choke off wildlife corridors,” he said.
Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX) said waiving these laws is another example of the Trump administration’s lack of transparency in communicating details of projects like the proposed wall to Texans.
“We have heard from the [Customs and Border Patrol] commissioner and others that no wall will go in there,” Rep. Escobar said. “If that's true, that's great. Let's give Texans the assurance that Congress will stand by that commitment, and that we will not allow Big Bend to be destroyed.”
Although this issue remains along party lines in Washington, D.C., Rep. Escobar said that is not the case across the state of Texas.
“Ranchers, law enforcement, local law enforcement, elected officials on both sides of the aisle have said, ‘Leave Big Bend alone,’” Rep. Escobar said.
