Trump administration pauses border construction in Big Bend National Park

The Trump administration announced Monday it is temporarily pausing construction of a contentious border project in Big Bend National Park in southern Texas while the head of the agency overseeing the work conducts an evaluation.

Rodney Scott, head of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said in a social media post that the agency is pausing all construction activity in the national park while he visits the site to perform a personal, on-the-ground assessment. It was not immediately clear how long the pause would last.

The project has faced fierce bipartisan opposition from critics who argue it is damaging a pristine environmental area. The 800,000-acre Chihuahuan desert national park in southern Texas contains rugged and remote terrain that opponents say already serves as a natural deterrent to migrants and smugglers.

Local leaders and activists have contended that the region's geography makes the border construction unnecessary. Border crossings in the Big Bend area have historically been lower than in other regions and have declined further over the past two years, according to officials.

Footage of bulldozers operating in the national park emerged earlier this month after the Trump administration began the construction effort. The project has drawn sustained criticism from environmental advocates and local communities concerned about the impact on the protected landscape.