U.S. Sen. John Cornyn is urging the Department of Homeland Security to consult with local officials and other Texans before moving forward with physical border barriers in Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park.
The Texas Republican said Tuesday that he sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin outlining concerns raised by local officials, landowners and other stakeholders about federal border security plans in the Big Bend region. Cornyn said DHS should meet directly with those affected before additional construction activity occurs. (TexasGOPVote)
“I will always support securing our border,” Cornyn said in announcing the letter, but added that officials from both political parties have raised concerns about construction in places where Big Bend’s rugged landscape already serves as a natural barrier.
Cornyn specifically pointed to the region’s river cliffs, deep canyons and desert terrain. His letter also raises concerns about potential effects on wildlife, cultural resources, tourism and access to the Rio Grande. (MRT)
The intervention adds another prominent Texas Republican voice to growing bipartisan opposition to portions of the federal government’s plans in the Big Bend region.
In June, a group of Democratic lawmakers led by U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett called on DHS to rescind waivers of environmental and historic preservation laws covering Big Bend National Park. Their letter argued that the Big Bend Sector has among the lowest levels of illegal border activity along the U.S.-Mexico border and that the area’s rugged terrain already discourages crossings. (Congressman Lloyd Doggett)
Environmental organizations, businesses and other groups have also pressed Congress to prohibit federal funding for physical barriers inside Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park. DHS planning for the region has shifted several times this year, contributing to uncertainty about exactly where permanent barriers ultimately could be built. (Center for Biological Diversity)
Cornyn stopped short of calling for the broader border security project to be canceled. Instead, he called for DHS to coordinate with Texans and address local concerns before proceeding with physical barriers in the two parks.
“The Department of Homeland Security should coordinate directly with Texas stakeholders as they have in the past,” Cornyn said, “and address these concerns before moving forward with physical barriers in these areas.”
The senator’s involvement comes as scrutiny of federal activity in Big Bend has intensified. Recent clearing work inside Big Bend National Park has prompted criticism from conservationists and former park officials, while federal officials have characterized activity in portions of the park as preparatory or related to road work rather than the beginning of wall construction. (SFGATE)
Cornyn’s letter signals that concerns over the project now extend across party lines in Texas, even as debate continues over how to balance border security with protection of one of the state’s most remote and environmentally sensitive landscapes.
