CBP Says ‘Limited’ Barriers Going Up Amid Backlash For National Park Construction

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) clarified Thursday that infrastructure being constructed to prevent border crossings at Big Bend National Park will be “limited.”

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“Big Bend belongs to the American people, and our job is to keep it safe. So, let’s be clear about what is — and is not — happening there,” a CBP statement reads. (RELATED: Illegal Alien Charged With Stabbing Elderly Man A Day After Judge Released Him)

The agency will not be building a 30-foot wall or stadium lighting through the local state and national park, according to the statement. They plan on adding one new access road, improving existing roads, installing detection technology and placing barriers for vehicles in some strategic locations.

Republican Texas Sen. John Cornyn sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Aug. 7, highlighting the concerns of Texans that the department had plans to construct a border wall through the parks.

Protesters gathered at Santa Elena Canyon earlier in August, chanting, “No road. No wall. No wire. No way,” in the belief that DHS would be “bulldozing” Big Bend National Park for border construction.

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“I will always support securing our border, but local officials on both sides of the aisle & other stakeholders have shared with me concerns about potential impacts in areas where the terrain already acts as deterrence for illegal crossings, whether it be 1,000-foot riverbank cliffs, deep canyons, or deserts,” Cornyn said, adding that DHS should continue to coordinate with Texas stakeholders to address the concerns before building barriers in these areas.

The statement said that what people were seeing was not construction for a major project, but was instead the surveying and design work for the stated projects.

“As we strengthen the border across the Southwest, we will not leave Big Bend as an opening for cartels to exploit by shifting their routes and tactics,” the statement reads. “We are securing this park to protect its legacy — keeping it safe, secure, and pristine so American families can enjoy the beauty of our country, free from fear of cartel activity, for generations to come.”

The CBP statement does not include a map, explain where the infrastructure will be placed or detail how much area it will take up.

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