Federal judge halts Big Bend border wall construction in blow to Trump agenda
Also reported by PBS NewsHour, Axios
Summary
A federal judge has temporarily stopped the Trump administration from building new border wall sections and roads in the Big Bend area of west Texas. The judge ruled that the government must follow environmental and historical protection laws before continuing construction.Key Facts
- The judge blocked construction in Big Bend national park due to a lawsuit from environmental groups and local individuals.
- The lawsuit challenged waivers that let the government ignore environmental and historical laws to speed up wall building.
- The federal judge said the plaintiffs are likely to win and could face serious harm if construction continues.
- The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had waived laws to allow building roads and barriers through the park.
- Construction had briefly paused in August after public outcry but restarted in September.
- Customs and Border Protection (CBP) awarded contracts totaling over $6 billion for border wall expansion in Big Bend.
- Congress provided $46.5 billion in funding last year for border wall construction.
- Local leaders and landowners oppose the wall, arguing the remote area already has low illegal crossings.
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