Federal judge halts border wall construction in Texas Big Bend region

A federal judge in El Paso on Friday blocked further border barrier construction across the Big Bend region, ruling that plaintiffs challenging the projects are likely to succeed on constitutional claims. U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone issued a preliminary injunction against ground-disturbing activities while the lawsuit proceeds.

The Center for Biological Diversity filed the suit in April on behalf of the Friends of the Ruidosa Church and river guide Danny William Miller, who owns property in Redford. The lawsuit targets five contracted wall projects, arguing they violate separation of powers and deprive citizens of land without due process.

“The harm reaches far beyond the landscape itself.”

Plaintiffs testified that construction would irreversibly damage the desert landscape and cut off access to the Rio Grande. Miller compared the wall's impact on his river guide business to "a bullet to the head," while Hudspeth County rancher Bill Guerra-Addington called it a death sentence for his operation.

The Trump administration's $46 billion border infrastructure plan includes 30-foot steel walls, roads, and surveillance technology across the 500-mile region. Customs and Border Protection defended the project, stating confidence in its legal authorities to secure the border while preserving the landscape.

Opponents argue the remote, rugged terrain serves as a natural deterrent and that the administration illegally waived environmental and cultural protection regulations to expedite construction. The ruling covers Big Bend National Park, where opposition previously prompted a brief construction pause.