Border Build Pause in Big Bend | Dayton News

Dayton News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Aug 19, 2026 · 1m

Border construction in Big Bend National Park has hit a pause after U.S. Customs Commissioner Rodney Scott met with local leaders, including Sheriff Thaddeus Cleveland, who says Scott is open to scaling back the project. Local voices, like business owner Billy Bartko, are sounding the alarm—calling bulldozers “the sounds of the earth crying”—as they fear irreversible damage to the fragile landscape. While construction will remain halted for at least two weeks, Scott plans to review stakeholder input before moving forward, balancing security with community concerns. A key federal court hearing…