Big Bend National Park will not see a border wall, according to Gov. Greg Abbott, after what he called the "commitment" he received from the Department of Homeland Security.
DHS has not publicly commented on the project's current status or responded to Abbott's statement.
"I and my staff has been in conversation with the Department of Homeland Security stretching back months about Big Bend National Park," Abbott said during an El Paso visit Wednesday, Aug. 19. "I've talked to staff at DHS multiple times and every conversation has been about not building any wall, fence or barrier at the park. There are other tools and strategies for that portion of the border without erecting those types of things."
The federal border infrastructure project designated
for Big Bend National Park is backed by a $1.7 billion contract awarded to Southwest Valley Contractors. The contract included roughly 200 miles of patrol roads, detection technology (such as cameras and sensors), and 17 miles of low-profile, post-on-rail vehicle barriers. Preliminary land clearing and soil assessments began in early August 2026, sparking strong pushback from local residents and conservation groups.
The national park project is a single component of a much larger DHS initiative. Across the entire Big Bend Sector—which covers over 500 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border—the total cost of awarded contracts reaches approximately $7.5 billion.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection recently paused construction work inside the national park.The pause was instituted to allow federal officials to review costs and hold discussions with local landowners, sheriffs, and environmental advocates who heavily oppose the project. After the community stakeholder discussions, the project parameters will be revisited.
"The commitment to me was there would be no such structures in Big Bend National Park," Abbott said.
Kristian Jaime is the Top Story Reporter for the El Paso Times and is reachable at Kjaime@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Abbott cites DHS commitment to block border wall at Big Bend
