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Supreme Court allows Trump administration to resume border wall construction in Big Bend region
CBS News • • nation
Key Points:
- The Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to resume construction of the border wall and infrastructure in the Big Bend sector of West Texas by lifting a district court injunction, despite ongoing litigation.
- The court emphasized the government's interest in border security and cited a 1996 immigration law permitting waivers of environmental and conservation laws to expedite border barrier construction.
- Environmental groups and local stakeholders criticized the decision, warning that the construction would cause irreversible damage to the Big Bend region, including national parks and the Rio Grande corridor.
- The Trump administration argued that halting construction would compromise border security against illegal crossings, drug trafficking, and cartel activity in the Big Bend area.
- The dispute centers on whether the Big Bend sector qualifies as a high illegal entry zone, with the government citing high apprehension numbers, while plaintiffs argue it has the lowest rates among southern border sectors.
