A federal judge on Friday temporarily enjoined the Trump administration from carrying out disputed border construction in and around Big Bend National Park in Texas.
U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone, a George W. Bush appointee, issued the order after finding plaintiffs likely to prevail on claims challenging the administration’s construction plans. In her ruling, Cardone wrote that the government may not “build border barrier or related infrastructure, or engage in any construction or ground disturbing activities” in the affected area while the litigation proceeds.
The dispute centers on construction activities the administration had planned for the Big Bend region along the U.S.-Mexico border. Environmental groups and other plaintiffs argued that the projects would harm protected lands and species and that the administration had not complied with legal requirements before moving forward.
Cardone’s decision pauses those plans pending further proceedings and reflects the court’s initial view that the plaintiffs have raised substantial legal questions about the administration’s authority and the adequacy of environmental review. The order does not resolve the merits of the case, but it prevents any ground-disturbing work tied to the challenged projects in and near Big Bend while the case continues.
Attorneys and officials on both sides will return to court as the litigation advances, where the government will have an opportunity to defend the construction plans and plaintiffs will press their challenges.
Source: thehill.com
