US news | The Guardian
· collected 2026-08-18 · by Cecilia Nowell and agency
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) head Rodney Scott has paused construction on a border project in Big Bend national park while he conducts an on-the-ground evaluation, as ordered by the Trump administration. The $46.5 billion border wall expansion, approved by Congress last year, was initially denied and not announced by the administration before construction began. Footage of bulldozers plowing through the 800,000-acre Chihuahuan desert national park sparked concern from environmental groups, with public lands advocate Laiken Jordahl calling it "a brand new road" through the park. CBP expects to build the first layer of the wall by the end of next year.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-18,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The Trump administration has paused construction on a multibillion-dollar "smart wall" expansion in Big Bend national park, located along the US-Mexico border in Texas. The project, which was not announced by the administration and was initially denied, has been met with concern from environmental groups over its impact on the park's natural landscape. Footage of bulldozers plowing through the 800,000-acre Chihuahuan desert national park emerged earlier this month, prompting CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott to announce a pause in construction while he conducts an "on-the-ground evaluation". The project was approved last year as part of a $46.5 billion border wall expansion signed into law by President Trump on July 4, 2025.
Written for “Trump Border Wall Construction” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
Leaning score -0.35 for article 1137 (medium confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-08-25
Construction on a US-Mexico border project in Big Bend national park has halted, the Trump administration said Monday, as Customs and Border Protection (CBP) evaluates the controversial project in Texas.
asserted
Customs → halt → Texas
“CBP is pausing all construction activity in Big Bend National Park while I visit and conduct a personal, on-the-ground evaluation,” CBP’s head, Rodney Scott, wrote in a social media post.
asserted
head → pause → post
Footage of bulldozers ploughing through the 800,000-acre (325,000-hectare) Chihuahuan desert national park emerged earlier this month, after the Trump administration did not announce and initially denied construction on a multibillion-dollar “smart wall” expansion in the park.
asserted
administration → plough → park
Last year, Congress approved $46.5bn for a border wall expansion in the “big, beautiful” spending bill Donald Trump signed into law on 4 July 2025.
asserted
Trump → approve → July
News of construction in Texas’s largest and most-visited national park sparked concern from environmental groups.
asserted
News → visit → groups
“They’re bulldozing a brand new road through the most beloved stretch of the park,” said Laiken Jordahl, a public lands advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity.
asserted
Jordahl → bulldoze → Diversity
Although many Texas Republicans have remained silent about the construction, outgoing senator John Cornyn sent a letter to Markwayne Mullin, the US homeland security secretary, asking him to halt construction on the wall.
asserted
Cornyn → remain → wall
“My constituents believe that the 1,000-foot riverbank cliffs and remote Big Bend terrain offers its own sources of deterrence for any illegal migrants crossing into the United States,” Cornyn wrote.
asserted
Cornyn → believe → States
Scott, the CBP chief, has said that he expects the agency will build the first layer of the wall by the end of next year.
asserted
agency → say → year
The Associated Press contributed reporting
asserted
Press → contribute → reporting
