Thousands in Texas protest against border wall through national park: ‘big love for Big Bend’
The Guardian • • nation
Key Points:
- Over 2,000 people gathered at the Texas Capitol to protest the proposed construction of a border wall through Big Bend National Park, demonstrating bipartisan opposition to the White House’s plans.
- Protesters, including local politicians and community members, expressed concerns about environmental damage, disruption to wildlife habitats, and the destruction of sacred Native American rock art sites.
- The border wall plan, part of a $46.5 billion federal allocation, has faced ongoing public and political pushback, leading Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to revise its proposed wall map multiple times, suggesting a shift toward technology-based barriers rather than physical walls in the parks.
- Despite these map changes, CBP has not definitively committed to sparing Big Bend and neighboring parks from physical barriers, causing continued uncertainty and calls for legislative protections against wall construction in these areas.
- CBP engaged in talks with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department regarding easement rights for the border wall but reportedly put plans on hold after facing widespread opposition and legal waivers of environmental protections.
