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Stop Trump's Bulldozers in Big Bend National Park
The Supreme Court just cleared the way for Trump's bulldozers to return to Big Bend National Park. On November 9th, the Court lifted the order that had stopped construction since October 2nd. Now work can resume — even though the courts haven't finished deciding whether the project is legal.
The bulldozers had been stopped. Now they're free to return. And once Big Bend's pristine desert and canyon landscapes are destroyed, no future court ruling can bring them back.
The Trump administration has backed away from plans for a towering border wall inside the park, but still intends to build patrol roads, vehicle barriers, and surveillance infrastructure. Crews already bulldozed land near the iconic Santa Elena Canyon. Now even more of this irreplaceable landscape is at risk.
The administration has awarded approximately $7.5 billion in border-infrastructure contracts across the wider Big Bend region — even though the area accounts for just 1.6% of migrant apprehensions along the southern border.
Worse, DHS has waived environmental laws protecting wildlife, historic sites, and Indigenous cultural resources to push construction forward.
The Supreme Court's ruling is temporary. It doesn't mean the construction is lawful. But it means contractors can move ahead while the legal fight continues — potentially leaving permanent scars across protected public lands.
Congress must intervene. They authorized the environmental-waiver powers DHS is using, and they can restrict federal funding for further construction while restoring essential safeguards.
Big Bend's towering canyons, fragile desert ecosystems, and winding Rio Grande belong to all Americans. Once heavy machinery tears through these landscapes, the damage may be impossible to undo.
Thanks for all that you do,
Matt from the Swarm