The Center Square reported that construction preparations are already underway, although several aspects of the project are still being finalized as planners continue coordinating with federal and state agencies.
CBP officials say the project is being carried out under President Trump’s executive authority and with funding approved by Congress.
“Weve been ordered to do it by president donald trumps executive order, as well as the funding and appropriations under the one big beautiful bill the priority is to do the entire border cbp spokesperson john mennel told the outlet”
The administration has emphasized that the border project extends beyond simply installing fencing. Officials describe it as a comprehensive security system designed to improve detection, mobility, and enforcement across difficult terrain.
While portions of the project are ready to move forward, CBP says other components remain under active review as planners determine the best combination of infrastructure and technology.
“While there are priorities for new border wall and detection technology in USBP’s Big Bend Sector, the combination of barriers, roads and technology (cameras, infrared illuminators, and other detection technology) in the areas adjacent to the Big Bend National Park and State Park are still in the planning stages,” CBP spokesperson Hilton Beckham told The Center Square.
“CBP continues to coordinate with the National Park Service, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and other federal and state agencies throughout the planning of border barrier and technology deployments in order to achieve Border Patrol’s operational priorities,” Beckham added in an email.
The overall initiative has been divided into five separate construction segments covering hundreds of miles along the Texas border. Rather than relying solely on a continuous wall, the strategy blends multiple forms of security infrastructure based on the geography and operational needs of each area.
Government spending records cited in the report indicate that CBP has allocated approximately $7.5 billion for border security projects throughout the Big Bend region, making it one of the largest investments in border infrastructure in recent years.
Officials also pointed to the funding made available through the administration’s signature legislative package.
“CBP is utilizing the $46.5 billion from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to construct a Smart Wall, which includes a steel bollard wall, along with roads, detection technology, cameras, lighting and, in some cases, a waterborne barrier or a secondary wall — creating a double-layer barrier,” Mennell said.
“The Smart Wall provides Border Patrol with both the impedance and denial, domain awareness and the access and mobility required to secure the border,” he added.
Construction is expected to roll out in stages over the coming months.
Big Bend 3, located in Presidio County, is scheduled to be the first section to begin construction in August. That project alone includes approximately 56.3 miles of primary border wall.
Additional work is expected to begin in September on Big Bend 1 in Hudspeth County, where crews are slated to install roughly 47.4 miles of primary wall, as well as Big Bend 2 in Presidio County, which will add another 68.2 miles.
Combined, those three segments will result in nearly 172 miles of new primary border wall, dramatically expanding the physical barrier across key areas of West Texas.
Not every section of the Big Bend project will feature towering steel barriers. In environmentally sensitive or geographically unique locations, officials have opted for alternative security measures designed to maintain operational control while minimizing disruption.
For example, Big Bend 4, which stretches alongside much of Big Bend National Park, will rely primarily on improved patrol roads, surveillance systems, and approximately 17 miles of vehicle barriers instead of a traditional wall.
The remaining portions of Big Bend 4, together with the 156.6-mile Big Bend 5 section, will similarly emphasize vehicle barriers, access roads, and advanced monitoring technology across the Alpine, Sanderson, and Comstock regions.
Officials say portions of the Big Bend 2 project will eventually connect to Big Bend Ranch State Park at two separate locations near the Rio Grande. According to project planners, those construction zones were selected because they are situated away from heavily used recreational areas, allowing security improvements to proceed while limiting the impact on visitors.
As construction ramps up, the Big Bend initiative marks another major milestone in the Trump administration’s broader effort to complete a modernized border security system that combines physical barriers with cutting-edge technology. With billions of dollars now committed and work expected to accelerate in the months ahead, the administration is moving forward with one of its signature campaign promises to strengthen security along America’s southern border.
