The Administration of Donald Trump has decided to halt this Monday the work on a border security project in a national park in Texas located in one of the least crowded areas between the United States and Mexico. The initiative, which takes place in a protected area, has generated strong criticism from environmental organizations and has even prompted the sending of a letter by a Republican senator from Texas to the federal government.
"The Customs and Border Protection (CBP) suspends all construction activities in Big Bend National Park while I visit and conduct a personal assessment on the ground," announced the commissioner of the agency, Rodney Scott, in a post on social media.
Along with the message, he shared a video recorded upon his arrival at an airport in the southern state, from where he indicated he was heading to the mentioned reserve to "conduct a personal assessment," among other planned tasks.
"In the coming days, I will join a small team to assess the land and listen to local leaders, community members, and stakeholders to ensure the security of our borders and, at the same time, protect Big Bend National Park for future generations," he specified in the text of the post.
In that same statement, he emphasized that "the CBP is firmly committed to the protection of the United States, including our national treasures," referring to this natural space. However, he insisted that in his office they are fully aware that "the current and foreseeable threats to national security are real."
Big Bend is a vast desert park that stretches along the Rio Grande, about 482 kilometers southeast of El Paso. It is famous for its mountain ranges, canyons, and desert wildlife, and also includes a rugged stretch of the approximately 3,200 kilometers of border between the United States and Mexico, where historically relatively few illegal crossings have been recorded.
At the beginning of August, the arrival of excavators and other heavy machinery in the area triggered a wave of protests from environmental groups, who argue that the work is unnecessary and is damaging fragile ecosystems within the national park.
The controversy led Texas Senator John Cornyn to send a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, responsible for the Department that oversees the Customs and Border Protection office.
"I will always support the security of our border, but local officials from both parties and other stakeholders have conveyed their concerns to me about the possible impacts in areas where the terrain already acts as a deterrent to illegal crossings, whether it be 1,000-foot cliffs along rivers, deep canyons, or deserts," he emphasized last Tuesday in a social media post in which he claimed to have sent the letter to Mullin.
Only three days later, the head of the CBP released a statement detailing that his department's project contemplated "building a new access road, improving existing roads, installing detection technology, and placing vehicle barriers in strategic and limited locations."
"We are not building a nine-meter wall nor installing stadium lighting," he noted, defending that "what people are seeing now are surveying and design works, not the construction of a wall across the park." "We are working to preserve the landscape and protect the access that visitors and local businesses depend on," the document added.
According to Rodney Scott, far from building a large wall, the plan aims to support border agents "to detect illegal crossings, respond more quickly, and assist visitors (who find themselves) in danger."
The purpose would be, according to his statements, "not to leave Big Bend unprotected" while the Executive led by Donald Trump "reinforces" the rest of the border in the southwest of the country.
"This represents an opportunity for cartels to take advantage by changing their routes and tactics," he assured, claiming to be "protecting this park to safeguard its legacy, keeping it safe and pristine so that American families can enjoy the beauty of our country, free from cartel activity and without fear, for generations."