Big Bend at Risk: Administration Appeals to Supreme Court in Border Case

WASHINGTON - Today, the Trump administration filed an appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States seeking to resume construction of new border barriers, patrol roads, and other damaging infrastructure at Big Bend National Park.

Specifically, the administration is seeking to override a preliminary injunction issued by a federal judge in El Paso that brought border construction in the region to a halt. This injunction currently safeguards Big Bend National Park as the court considers arguments from plaintiffs, including the Center for Biological Diversity, Friends of Ruidosa Church, and a local river guide in West Texas.

The Supreme Court has not yet responded to this appeal.

In late August, the National Parks Conservation Association joined Sierra Club along with its Lone Star Chapter in filing an amicus brief supporting the Center for Biological Diversity’s lawsuit. NPCA and the Sierra Club are represented by Earthjustice.

In response to the administration’s appeal to the Supreme Court, National Parks Conservation Association Texas Regional Director Cary Dupuy issued the following statement:

“People come from around the world to take in the breathtaking mountain ranges and wild desert ecosystems that make Big Bend National Park such an amazing place. The sheer rock cliffs, treacherous terrain, and inhospitable climate at Big Bend National Park make it a difficult, dangerous place for people to cross America’s southern border.

“A federal court recognized the relatively low number of unauthorized crossings in the Big Bend region. Bedrock environmental and cultural laws should not be waived to build damaging border infrastructure and expand patrol roads in this wild place.

“This appeal signals that the federal government wants to get back to building border infrastructure as soon as possible, and Big Bend National Park still faces a monumental threat. We need Congress to speak up and call for the administration to permanently halt damaging border infrastructure in Big Bend.”

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About the National Parks Conservation Association: Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.9 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org.