Democratic congressional candidate Bobby Pulido is condemning border construction in Big Bend National Park and elsewhere in South Texas, arguing that the Trump administration’s immigration policies are damaging protected lands and historic sites in the name of border security.
“What is happening at Big Bend National Park is a destructive attack on what’s left of the great American frontier,” Pulido said in a statement. “Big Bend is one of the most beautiful, sacred, and irreplaceable places in Texas, and it deserves protection.”
Pulido, who is running for Congress in Texas, said his concerns extend beyond Big Bend. He pointed to border barrier projects affecting the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge and the historic Eli Jackson Cemetery in South Texas.
“This is happening all across our district, and it’s hitting our communities at home,” Pulido said.
The statement comes amid growing scrutiny of federal border infrastructure work in Big Bend National Park, where construction activity and temporary road closures have heightened concerns among elected officials, conservation advocates and residents about the scope and environmental impact of the project.
Pulido said he supports border security but argued that physical barriers should not come at the expense of protected landscapes. He called instead for legislation, technology and infrastructure to support Border Patrol operations.
“Real border security comes from effective legislation, modern technology, and the infrastructure needed to support border patrol, not from recklessly throwing up walls wherever they can,” Pulido said.
He accused the administration of allowing its focus on immigration enforcement to override preservation of public lands and historic sites.
“When you’re willing to bulldoze through a national park, a wildlife refuge, or a historic cemetery to make a political point, you’ve lost sight of what you’re supposed to be protecting,” Pulido said.
Big Bend has emerged as a flashpoint in the renewed expansion of border infrastructure under the Trump administration. Federal officials have cited border security needs in moving forward with projects in the region, while opponents have questioned whether large-scale construction is necessary in the park’s remote and rugged terrain.
Pulido framed the dispute as both a border policy issue and a question of stewardship of public lands.
“Big Bend, the Lower Rio Grande Valley, and every historic and natural treasure across South Texas belong to the American people,” Pulido said. “Our responsibility is to protect them and preserve them for our children and grandchildren.”
Pulido concluded by calling for a different approach to immigration enforcement: “Let’s secure our border the right way, protect Texas and preserve our history.”
