An emergency federal injunction has halted plans to resume border barrier and road construction across the Big Bend region of Texas. Judge Kathleen Cardone barred any construction or ground‑disturbing activity in the Big Bend Sector until federal agencies comply with all applicable laws. The injunction follows a lawsuit by conservation groups and local plaintiffs challenging the administration's use of waivers to fast‑track a roughly $1.7 billion project through protected lands. Activists hailed the ruling as a win for wildlife and public lands while the legal battle continues.
Federal Judge Issues Emergency Halt To Border Construction In Big Bend National Park
A protest sign is seen on a state road that leads into Big Bend National Park in southern Texas, on August 15, 2026 (RONALDO SCHEMIDT)
A U.S. federal judge on Friday issued an emergency injunction blocking the Trump administration from resuming construction of border barriers, patrol roads and related infrastructure across the Big Bend region of Texas.
The Department of Homeland Security had planned to install vehicle barriers, build patrol roads and add lighting and detection technology in and around Big Bend National Park, an area celebrated for its dramatic landscapes and rich biodiversity, including hundreds of bird species, bobcats and black bears.
In her order, Judge Kathleen Cardone wrote:
"Effective immediately and until the Court orders otherwise, Defendants SHALL NOT build border barrier or related infrastructure, or engage in any construction or ground disturbing activities, in the Big Bend Sector until and unless Defendants comply with all applicable laws."
Why The Injunction Was Issued
The injunction responds to a lawsuit filed by Friends of the Ruidosa Church, the Center for Biological Diversity, and a Big Bend-area river guide and landowner. Plaintiffs contend the federal government improperly waived dozens of environmental and other laws to fast-track a roughly $1.7 billion project that would cross Big Bend National Park, Big Bend Ranch State Park and surrounding public and private lands.
Local Backlash And The Pause
Bulldozers began work in August on public lands that blend desert, river and mountain ecosystems and include the well-known Santa Elena Canyon. Fierce local opposition, which crossed party lines, prompted Customs and Border Protection to announce a temporary pause. CBP later told the court the pause had lapsed on September 30 and planned to resume work — a timeline now blocked by Judge Cardone's emergency order.
Reactions
Laiken Jordahl, national public lands advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity, called the ruling "a historic victory," adding that while the legal fight will continue, the injunction protects people and wildlife across West Texas and affirms that "no president can bulldoze a national park for political theater."
The order temporarily preserves sensitive habitat and halts ground-disturbing activity in the Big Bend Sector until federal agencies comply with applicable legal requirements. The case will proceed through the courts, where plaintiffs will challenge the government's use of statutory waivers to expedite construction.
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