A pause on construction at Big Bend National Park has been extended while both sides negotiate next steps for border security in the area. On Friday, the judge said there will be no ground movement or new activity in Big Bend National Park until at least Sept. 15, after plaintiffs and the federal government agreed to the extended pause in court. Now, that pause has been extended 15 more days until September 30. Texas Border Watch has been following this story closely, as business owners, tribal members of the Lipan Apache, and local leaders argue the proposed project could harm their community. Attorneys for the federal government stated that no border wall is planned inside the park, but vehicle barriers and other technology—covering 17 non-contiguous miles—are still under consideration. The government’s attorneys explained that work completed so far was "pre-construction vegetation clearing and surveying," which drew pushback from residents who believe the work already impacts sacred spaces and ancestral lands. "The fight's not over, but one good thing that came out of this is we have an absolute commitment that there will be no wall in Big Bend National Park," said Attorney Dick DeGuerin, representing plaintiffs. "The judge actually asked the lawyers for the government what is planned, and they were not able to say. And we want to make sure that the no wall in the Big Bend Park extends to other areas of the Big Bend." Christina Hernandez, a plaintiff, said, "I think that there's a lot of questions that have to be answered by CBP, not just to their attorneys but also to the public. And I think this is a step to encourage them to start having conversations with those of us who are in the region." The court’s decision allows for more time to discuss specific plans and impacts before any further steps are taken in the park. Border reimbursement funds Texas is set to receive $7.5 billion in federal reimbursement for border security costs spent during the Biden administration, as confirmed by the White House. The state originally requested $11 billion to cover expenses for programs such as Operation Lone Star and National Guard deployments, with the federal package containing a total of $10 billion for all states. Texas Sen. John Cornyn spoke out about delays in the reimbursement process in the Texas Tribune, pointing out that the funding was approved nearly a year ago, but applications took a while to open. A second grant, managed by the Department of Justice and worth $3.5 billion, will also be distributed to state and local governments, with applications accepted in June and July. With the Texas Legislature set to reconvene at the start of 2027, lawmakers will need to know when this money will arrive as they plan for the next budget. Federal truck-driver training crackdown Federal agencies have launched a nationwide effort to address fraud in commercial truck driving schools, which includes an emergency shutdown of nearly 300 schools across 23 states. According to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, "they have unlicensed instructors. So you have instructors who aren't certified who are allegedly training the new truck drivers to operate on American roadways." The Department of Justice, Department of Transportation and Department of Homeland Security are also conducting audits of third-party commercial driver’s license testers and state oversight programs. Officials say these actions are aimed at improving public safety and reducing fraud across the trucking industry.
