Big Bend Wall Paused, but Ranchers Still Face Looming Threat to Land: ‘We Stand to Lose Too Much’

The federal government has pushed ahead with plans for a new border barrier through the Big Bend region of West Texas, despite warnings from landowners that it could hurt their businesses and property values.After mounting opposition to construction inside Big Bend National Park, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott announced on Monday that he was temporarily pausing work there while he personally visits the region to review the project.Yolanda Alvarado, a fifth-generation cattle rancher in the area, greeted the news with relief—and skepticism.“We’re happy that there’s a halt in the national park, so there’s not more destruction being done,” Alvarado tells Realtor.com®.But, she adds, “It’s hard to see if this is a PR ploy or if he’s actually serious about stopping construction in the national park or along the border. So there’s a lot of mixed emotions there.”Further complicating the situation is a separate plan for roughly 175 miles of border barrier through Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, and Presidio counties, which isn't covered by the new pause. An estimated 400 landowners in the Big Bend region—including Alvarado—could be affected. Some have already received let...