1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

I demand immediate congressional action to stop all border-wall and border-related construction in Big Bend National Park and throughout the entire greater Big Bend region, including Big Bend Ranch State Park, the Rio Grande corridor, surrounding ranches, and affected communities in Brewster, Presidio, Jeff Davis, Hudspeth, and Terrell counties. Big Bend National Park must be protected absolutely, but moving destructive construction just beyond its boundaries is not an acceptable solution. The national park is part of a larger interconnected landscape. Wildlife, waterways, habitats, archaeological resources, ranches, communities, and the regional tourism economy do not stop at lines on a map. This is not a hypothetical future threat. Large machines and ground-disturbing activity have already been observed inside the national park. Elsewhere in the region, contractors have cleared and graded land, prepared roads and staging areas, moved heavy equipment toward the river, and stacked steel wall components. In Presidio County, a federal contractor reportedly cleared more than a mile of Texas state land without authorization, forcing the Texas General Land Office to issue a cease-and-desist order. Stop all of it—not merely wall-panel installation, but clearing, grading, excavation, road construction, staging, construction surveying, material extraction, utility installation, worker camps, vehicle barriers, surveillance infrastructure, and related preparations. Destruction begins with the first bulldozer, not the final wall panel. Big Bend is an irreplaceable part of Texas and American heritage. This construction threatens wildlife habitat, desert soils, water flow, archaeological and Indigenous sites, ranches, dark skies, tourism, river access, local businesses, and entire communities. Once destroyed, these resources cannot be restored. Congress must end the administration’s environmental and historic-preservation waivers and require full environmental impact studies, archaeological surveys, Tribal and landowner consultation, hydrological studies, wildlife assessments, economic-impact studies, and meaningful public review before any Border Patrol infrastructure proceeds. Congress controls appropriations, writes laws, conducts oversight, and restricts executive power. If you believe Congress cannot stop President Trump, you are denying one of Congress’s most fundamental constitutional responsibilities. You represent Texas. Protecting this state must come before obedience to any president or political party. Prohibit federal spending, demand an immediate regional stop-work order, investigate the damage already occurring, require remediation, and enact permanent protections for Big Bend National Park and the entire surrounding region. Stop this destruction now.