NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: March 5, 2026
TWA statement concerning Big Bend region border wall
New Braunfels, TX — The Texas Wildlife Association supports efforts to curb illegal immigration and smuggling traffic into the United States. However, border security and intact ecosystems are not mutually exclusive.
The West Texas borderlands are among the most ecologically fragile, rugged and vast landscapes in the United States. Construction of a physical barrier along the Rio Grande River through the remote canyonlands of Big Bend National Park, Big Bend Ranch State Park and across nearby private acreage threatens wildlife corridors intact for millennia. It would also restrict access to a river system that has sustained rural communities and economies for generations.
The strategic construction of additional physical barriers is likely warranted in highly trafficked areas along the border. The Big Bend region is unique in many respects, and this issue is one that calls for a different solution. We strongly urge the Department of Homeland Security and President Trump to reconsider recently announced plans and instead focus resources on more modern technological solutions to the challenges of illegal immigration in this pristine area. Texas Wildlife Association stands ready to participate in finding alternative solutions to a fixed wall in this iconic Texas area.
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