Border chief defends barrier plan to keep national park ‘safe, secure, and pristine’

• U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott defended a $1.7 billion infrastructure project in Big Bend National Park , claiming it is necessary to secure the area against cartel activity.
• Scott clarified that the agency is not building a 30-foot wall or installing stadium lighting, but rather conducting survey work for scaled-back barriers and smart fencing.
• Local officials and environmental advocates strongly oppose the plan, arguing there is no demonstrated need for barriers and warning that the infrastructure will damage the wilderness.
• Critics, including the Center for Biological Diversity , highlighted that 17 miles of planned vehicle barriers could block public access to the Rio Grande.
• Weekly protests are underway as construction equipment begins clearing land, with activists demanding transparency and an immediate pause to the project.

IN FULL

Border chief defends plan for barriers in national park despite pushback from locals: ‘We know the terrain’