Big Bend Faces Bulldozers as Border-Wall Plan Sparks Rural Backlash

Bulldozers are moving through Big Bend National Park as part of a broader, multimillion-dollar border-wall effort, despite the area’s low unauthorized crossing rate. The $1.72 billion park project sits within a larger $46.5 billion border-security plan, drawing sharp criticism from conservationists, former park leaders, and local officials who warn of environmental damage, disruption to tourism, and eroded trust in public lands. Protests have emerged, while some politicians push for cheaper tech-based security instead of physical barriers.