Trump administration briefly pauses contentious border project in Texas' Big Bend National Park - apnews.com

The Trump administration announced Monday a temporary pause on construction of a border wall project in Texas' Big Bend National Park while Customs and Border Protection chief Rodney Scott conducts an on-the-ground evaluation.
Scott said on X that CBP is halting all construction activity while he visits over the coming days to listen to local leadership, community members, and stakeholders, aiming to address national security threats while protecting the park.
The project has drawn fierce bipartisan opposition, with critics arguing it damages the area's pristine environment and that the region's rugged, remote terrain already deters migrants and smugglers.
Border crossings in the Big Bend area have historically been lower than other regions and have declined further over the past two years, bolstering opponents' case against the wall.
The suspension marks a rare concession from an administration that has raced to fulfill Trump's signature promise, using $46 billion allocated by Congress last summer to build a wall from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico while waiving numerous regulations.
CBP did not respond to questions about how long construction would be paused or whom Scott would meet, and it remains unclear whether the brief suspension signals a more permanent halt; Scott has said he expects the first layer of the wall built by the end of next year.