Texas, Big Bend National Park, Santa Elena Canyon, Rio Grande River. (Photo By: Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK - Large stretches of the U.S. southern border within Texas' Big Bend National Park are now due to receive "primary border wall system," some of which could start construction before the end of the year.
The entire 517-mile stretch of the Big Bend Sector is set to receive some sort of border protection upgrade, U.S. Customs and Border Protection told FOX Local, and contracts for wall projects are expected to be awarded within weeks.
Big Bend border wall
What's new:
In areas previously designated for "detection technology" in the park, primary border wall system is now in the "planned" phase, meaning it's waiting to be awarded contracts for construction.
The sections that pass through Big Bend are part of a 111.6-mile stretch of primary wall, which the CBP site refers to as "steel bollard wall." That stretch is broken by some areas of border within the national park which are still designated as detection technology only. Those areas may be impacted by nothing more than cameras and lights, though the specifics are unclear.
See the CBP's Smart Wall map here.
Border wall plans in Big Bend sector (CBP)
In the photo above, orange denotes detection technology, while green denotes planned primary border wall system.
What's next:
The CBP expects all border barrier contracts to be awarded by mid-2026, a spokesperson said in a Friday statement to FOX Local. Those awards may begin rolling in over the coming weeks and months, they said.
Various phases of construction are anticipated to start toward the end of the year, CBP said, upon completion of land acquisition. FOX Local asked the CBP whether eminent domain will be exercised in acquiring land for the projects, but that answer was not included in the Friday statement.
'Smart Wall' border technology planned for Big Bend National Park area
The federal government’s $4.5 billion "Smart Wall" project will add hundreds of miles of high-tech border security, including detection systems through Big Bend National Park.
Environmental impact
What they're saying:
The CBP said they have worked and plan to continue working with stakeholders and other federal agencies to minimize the impacts of construction.
The other side:
Russ McSpadden, a southwest conservation advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity who's spoken previously on potential border wall impacts, is concerned over ongoing threats to animals and their habitats.
According to McSpadden, nearly 100 threatened and endangered species may already have been affected by border security construction. He gave his opinion Friday to FOX Local:
"Big Bend is defined by freedom and movement: black bears ranging across the border, mountain lions traversing desert ranges, bighorn sheep reclaiming canyon country, and migratory birds following the Rio Grande’s lifeline through the desert. People come for that same sense of openness: dark skies, wild horizons, and the chance to experience a landscape that still feels whole. A border wall would sever that living system with steel, blocking wildlife corridors, disrupting the river’s natural rhythms, and incarcerating the wild soul of America."
The Endangered Species Act turns 50: A reflection on its mixed legacy
The powerful law charged the federal government with saving every endangered plant and animal in America. It enjoyed nearly unanimous bipartisan support but soon became controversial.
Big Bend National Park is a protected refuge for wildlife. They note their role in harboring plants and animals on their official website:
"The National Park Service's role is to provide undisturbed habitat in the United States where all species, including endangered ones, can continue to exist, subject only to the forces of nature. There have been successes, in parks and elsewhere, and this is a symbol of hope. For it signifies that we can stop the worldwide slide of extinction that we started."
The page goes on to explain the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as well as the federal and state government's role in protecting wildlife.
Border ‘Smart Wall’
The backstory:
U.S. Customs and Border Protection calls the smart wall a system that combines "steel barriers, waterborne barriers, patrol roads, lights, cameras, and advanced detection technology."
Officials awarded $4.5 billion in contracts in September 2025 to add 230 miles of smart wall and 400 miles of "new technology," according to a release.
Border crossing numbers
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem claimed the Big Bend region was an area of "high illegal entry," stating that more than 88,000 undocumented migrants were apprehended between fiscal year 2021 and July 2025.
Border Patrol data shows 74% drop in illegal Big Bend border crossings since 2023
The U.S. Border Patrol's Big Bend Sector reported a 74% drop in illegal border crossings over the last two fiscal years, which officials attribute to stricter enforcement policies and expanded surveillance technology.
Data from Border Patrol shows the Big Bend region has the fewest number of border patrol encounters amongst the agency's nine southern border sectors with just 3,096 encounters in fiscal year 2025. That number is down 37% from the previous year.
Overall, U.S. Border Patrol reported an 84.5% decrease in encounters with 237,538 encounters in fiscal year 2025 compared to 1.5 million in 2024.
The Source: Information in this article comes from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Russ McSpadden, and previous FOX Local reporting.