Supreme Court Clears Trump Border Wall Construction in Big Bend

The Supreme Court on Monday allowed the Trump administration to resume border wall construction in Texas's Big Bend region. It lifted a lower court injunction while litigation continues.

• 341 miles of construction are planned in the section, the government says.
• 517 miles make up the Big Bend Sector, over a quarter of the border.
• 3 waivers from Kristi Noem and Markwayne Mullin set aside environmental laws.
• Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented without explaining her reasoning.

Why it matters: The unsigned opinion said Congress showed a preference for fast border construction over the harms the challengers assert. The ruling lets work proceed before courts decide if the waivers are lawful.

• Big Bend draws over half a million visitors a year and anchors the local economy.
• 200-plus miles of patrol roads would cross Big Bend National Park, CBP says.

How 44 sources split on this story

Where they split: The government and the challengers disagree on whether Big Bend counts as an area of high illegal entry under the 1996 law.

What’s next: The lawsuit continues in lower court, where Judge Kathleen Cardone ruled the waivers exceeded the secretary's authority.

• Cardone also flagged a separation-of-powers question about how much authority Congress delegated.
• Will the courts ultimately uphold the waivers once the case is decided on the merits?
• How quickly will construction resume inside and around Big Bend National Park?