Judge Blocks 5 Big Bend Border Wall Projects as Constitutional Claims Likely to Prevail
Updated
Updated · The Texas Tribune · Oct 2
Judge Blocks 5 Big Bend Border Wall Projects as Constitutional Claims Likely to Prevail
3 articles · Updated · The Texas Tribune · Oct 2
Summary
U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone issued a preliminary injunction barring ground-disturbing work on five border barrier projects in the Big Bend region while the lawsuit proceeds.
Cardone said the plaintiffs' constitutional claims were likely to succeed, backing a suit that argues DHS wall plans violate separation of powers and unlawfully take land from local owners.
Big Bend covers about a quarter of the U.S.-Mexico border but accounts for only 1% to 3% of migrant apprehensions each year, undercutting the government's case for barriers in the remote sector.
More than $7.5 billion in border infrastructure contracts has fueled a bipartisan backlash since January, even as DHS says more barriers are needed to maintain operational control and prevent future cartel activity.
The ruling marks the strongest legal setback yet among six Big Bend wall lawsuits, a day after another judge denied a separate request to halt work near Big Bend National Park.