Supreme Court allows Trump border wall at Big Bend National Park

The US Supreme Court granted the Trump administration the green light on Monday to proceed with barrier construction along the US-Mexico border in West Texas, including Big Bend National Park. The ruling lifts a federal judge's order that had halted the project pending a lawsuit, fast-tracking one of the president's longstanding immigration priorities.

The court determined that the government's interest outweighs the aesthetic, recreational, and environmental harm alleged by challengers. Liberal Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was the only member to dissent from the decision, which relies on a 1996 federal law allowing the Department of Homeland Security to issue waivers that expedite construction and avoid various environmental statutes.

The lawsuit was brought by the Center for Biological Diversity, a local river guide, and a group preserving a historic church in Ruidosa, Texas. While the administration claims the region is an area of high illegal entry, opponents argue the waivers exceed executive authority. The project will feature a 17-mile vehicle barrier system within the park, with most construction occurring on privately owned land.

Read the full story at Central Oregon Daily.