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Trump administration pauses contentious border construction in Texas’ Big Bend National Park

By AP via Scripps News Group Aug 17, 2026 | 11:30 AM

The Trump administration says it is temporarily pausing construction of a controversial border construction project in the Big Bend National Park while the head of the agency tasked with building the wall visits Texas to do an on-the-ground evaluation.

The project through the national park in southern Texas has faced fierce bipartisan opposition by critics who say it is marring a pristine environmental area and that the regions rugged and remote terrain already serves as a deterrent to migrants and smugglers.

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Rodney Scott, who heads Customs and Border Protection which is tasked with building the wall, said in an announcement on X that he was visiting Texas to do an evaluation.

CBP is pausing all construction activity in Big Bend National Park while I visit and conduct a personal, on-the-ground evaluation, Scott said.

This is a developing story and will be updated.