A proposal to prevent the construction of a border wall in Big Bend National Park was rejected by the U.S. House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday. The measure, proposed by Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, would have prevented the Department of Homeland Security from using its budget to build barriers within the park.
Local residents, ranchers, and environmentalists in the Big Bend area have expressed strong opposition to the wall, arguing that it would damage the park’s natural beauty and harm the local economy. Cuellar’s amendment would have also applied to other areas in his district, including downtown Laredo and the Laredo-Colombia Solidarity International Bridge.
Opposition to the Wall
Opposition to the wall has been bipartisan, with Republicans such as Brandon Herrera, a congressional candidate, speaking out against it. Herrera said that “nobody wants this wall in Big Bend.” Cuellar noted that the Trump administration has been able to reduce border crossings to historic lows without building new walls in the area.
The Big Bend sector accounted for just 1.3% of all apprehensions along the U.S.-Mexico border in fiscal year 2025. Cuellar argued that other technologies, such as cameras and sensors, could be used to secure the border instead of a physical wall.
Next Steps
The rejection of the amendment means that the Department of Homeland Security can still move forward with plans to construct a border wall in Big Bend National Park. However, the department has waived environmental laws to authorize the construction of road and physical barrier infrastructure in the park, and has awarded a contract for a border wall in the area.
Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nevada, argued that eliminating the department’s ability to build a wall in the area would be a risk to border security. However, Cuellar said that the administration has already stated that it does not plan to build a wall in the park, and that his amendment was simply a way to codify that pledge.
Original reporting: Texas Tribune (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
