Santa Elena Canyon and the Border Project

Big Bend National Park’s Santa Elena Canyon, where the Rio Grande cuts between two nations, has become the focus of federal border security work. After strong bipartisan pushback this spring, Customs and Border Protection revised its maps to show only detection technology inside the national park. In August, contractors began clearing land near the canyon; CBP has described the work as repairing access roads and surveying, and has said it does not plan a 30-foot barrier in the national park, Big Bend Ranch State Park or the Black Gap area.

Opponents, including river guides, former park staff, sheriffs and local leaders of both parties, say the clearing has already damaged riparian forest, and several federal lawsuits have been filed over barrier plans across the region. The situation keeps shifting. A story worth following for anyone who loves this wild stretch of river and the communities on both banks.

Sources: Is Big Bend getting a border wall? (Texas Standard) · At Big Bend National Park, bulldozers begin clearing land for border barrier work (NPR) · In the Big Bend, opposition mounts against border barriers (Marfa Public Radio)