Federal Judge Slams the Brakes on Big Bend Border Wall Construction - Inside Climate News
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Federal Judge Slams the Brakes on Big Bend Border Wall Construction
Work must stop, effective immediately, after a federal judge in the Western District of Texas issued a temporary injunction against far-reaching legal waivers.
By Martha Pskowski
October 2, 2026
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An excavator plows through land during construction for a section of the border wall on Aug. 14 in Big Bend National Park. Credit: Brandon Bell/Getty Images
Related:
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EL PASO— Federal Judge Kathleen Cardone granted a preliminary injunction Friday to halt construction on the border wall in Texas’ expansive Big Bend sector, including the national and state parks.
Cardone read a brief order from the bench after hearing more than four hours of testimony from conservation groups and residents of the Big Bend region, known internationally for its dark night skies, abundant biodiversity and rugged river canyons.
Cardone said that the plaintiffs are likely to succeed on the merits in at least one of their claims and to suffer irreparable harm if construction continues. Her ruling stops border barrier construction in the entire Big Bend sector—which spans more than 500 miles across West Texas—until the federal government complies with all applicable laws.
The ruling applies to all of Big Bend National Park, Big Bend Ranch State Park and the border along the Rio Grande in the rest of the sector. The injunction will remain in place while the court considers the lawsuit, which was filed in April.