The good news is that a large steel border wall no longer seems to be in the works for Big Bend National Park.
The bad news is that the Trump administration plans to construct short barrier fence that appears to serve no purpose and costs billions of dollars.
A new federal proposal includes 17 non-contiguous miles of what Customs and Border Protection officials refer to as a “low profile metal barrier,” the point of which isn’t exactly known. Based on a photo and details provided by CBP itself accompanying a request for input, the fence doesn’t appear it will stop people from doing much of anything.
Described as a vehicle barrier, the fencing will feature steel posts supported by a steel rail, with alternating post heights of approximately 4 and 6 feet tall, according to CBP. The posts will be spaced about 4 feet apart.
Not only is the barrier between the posts low enough that someone could either climb over or crawl under, the word “non-contiguous” means someone could just walk far enough either direction to find where it ends.
Nonetheless, the Trump administration has earmarked more than $4 billion for the project and a total of $7.6 billion for barrier construction throughout the Big Bend Sector.
In May, DHS awarded a $1.7 billion contract to Albuquerque-based firm Southwest Valley Constructors for barrier construction through the national park. Last week, the department awarded another $2.6 billion contract — the costliest federal border construction pact in history — to Tempe-based Fisher Sand and Gravel Industries for the Lower Canyons stretch of the Wild and Scenic Rio Grande.
Fisher San and Gravel Industries was also awarded a $1.2 billion contract in March for construction on a separate stretch of the border in Presidio County.
Activists warn that 30-foot steel bollards might also be erected soon on private lands where some landowners have signed to allow construction. The group No Big Bend Wall sounded the alarm earlier this week that “steel is on the ground” in two staging areas in Hudspeth and Culberson Counties.
“Though contractors don’t appear to have a well-researched plan, they are eager to spend the billions of dollars awarded by the DHS by fast tracking construction,” an Instagram post by No Big Bend Wall reads.
In addition to the low barrier fencing, other components of the planned project through Big Bend National Park include access roads, bridges, drainage gates, earth retaining systems, fiber optic and power cables, staging areas for construction equipment and more. The plan also includes a vast surveillance system affixed to utility poles.
The project has drawn criticism from environmentalists, who say that the vehicle barriers, roads and heavy machinery will mar a treasured landscape of the Lone Star State. Further, they argue the project will disturb the delicate ecology of what was a protected area until the Trump administration waived dozens of environmental laws in the park this week.
Additionally, the Big Bend barrier has fielded criticism for solving a problem that nearly doesn’t exist.
Migrant crossings in the Big Bend Sector have fallen to a historic low, accounting for just 2% of total apprehensions nationwide, according to numbers provided by CBP. Many consider the area to be dangerous and inconvenient crossing point due to the remote and rugged land.
CBP is accepting comments on its new plan for Big Bend National Park until July 13, 2026. Comments can be emailed to CBP at BigBendComments@cbp.dhs.gov.
CBP instructs commenters to include “Brewster County Vehicle Barrier System Construction” in the subject of the email.
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