As border control construction moves forward in Big Bend National Park, Sen. John Cornyn is urging the Trump administration to talk to locals.
The Texas Republican sent a letter earlier this week to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin airing his constituents’ concerns as bulldozers and other heavy equipment descended on the remote region along the Rio Grande to blaze a road that will support the administration’s enhanced immigration control there.
Cornyn, who in May lost the GOP primary to President Donald Trump-supported state Attorney General Ken Paxton, is a rare Republican in Washington voicing concern about the activity in the park. His letter follows a request by more than 140 recreation groups and outdoor outfitters for him to intervene.
In his letter, Cornyn stops short of opposing construction. He praised the administration for securing the border and driving down immigration but said DHS had also been less “fulsome” in their communication and coordination with locals than in the past, including not immediately responding to a letter from local elected officials.
