1. United States
2. Va.
3. Letter

I am writing to you today as a concerned constituent to express my firm opposition to the proposed construction of a physical border wall through Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park. While I support the goal of a secure border, the current plan to install steel bollard barriers in these specific, ecologically sensitive regions is a strategic and environmental mistake that will cause irreparable harm and destroy a landscape I had hoped to share with my children. On February 13, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security waived 28 federal laws—including the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act—to fast-track this construction. By bypassing these safeguards, the administration is ignoring the grave risks this project poses to our state’s heritage:  • Ecological Destruction: A physical wall will sever vital migration routes for Texas wildlife, including black bears and bighorn sheep, and block their only access to the Rio Grande. Furthermore, the risk of catastrophic flooding due to sediment buildup against the barriers threatens the very canyons that make Big Bend a national treasure.  • Economic Consequences: Big Bend is a primary driver of the West Texas economy, generating over $60 million in annual tourism spending. Replacing iconic vistas with industrial steel fencing and high-intensity lighting will devastate local small businesses and the outdoor recreation industry.  • Logistical Redundancy: As noted by local leaders like Brewster County Judge Greg Henington, the rugged terrain of the Big Bend Sector already provides a natural barrier. Funding should be redirected toward "Smart Wall" technology and increased personnel at ports of entry, rather than a permanent physical scar on our public lands. I urge you to use your oversight authority to halt physical wall construction within the boundaries of our National and State Parks. We must find border security solutions that do not require the sacrifice of Texas’s most beautiful and historically significant landscapes. I look forward to hearing your position on how you plan to protect Big Bend for future generations of Americans.