I don’t often get political on the blog, as I like to focus on outdoor adventures in awesome places. But when one of those awesome places is threatened by government incompetence and corruption, I make an exception. If you have not heard, the Department of Homeland Security announced a plan last month to build a border fence along the Rio Grande River in the Big Bend Sector, which includes both Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park. Below is my comment letter to the incoming DHS Secretary, Sen. Markwayne Mullin. I sent similar comments to our Texas federal and state legislators. Anyone who cares about the Rio Grande in the Big Bend, regardless of political persuasion, should oppose this idiotic idea.
(For those who don’t get the reference, “Level 11 Dumb” comes from the great Rob Reiner mockumentary This is Spinal Tap – where the band leader explains that their amps have been relabeled from a 1-10 scale to a 1-11 scale, so they are louder. When asked why not just make 10 louder, he responds: “But these go to eleven.” The Big Bend Wall plan is the 11 of border policy.)
Comment on DHS Big Bend Border Wall Plan
Dear Senator Mullin:
Congratulations on your upcoming appointment as Secretary of Homeland Security. I am writing to ask you to reconsider the plan announced by your predecessor to build a border wall through Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Parks. I support strong border enforcement. However, this plan is unnecessary, a huge waste of taxpayer dollars, and would punish law-abiding citizens without doing anything to stop illegal immigration.
- Building a wall through the parks is unnecessary because renewed enforcement has nearly stopped illegal immigration in the Big Bend Sector. The Big Bend Sector covers 77 Texas counties and all of Oklahoma, including 517 miles of the Rio Grande. In Secretary Noem’s Federal Register publication, she notes that between FY2021 and FY2025, approximately 89,000 illegal aliens were apprehended in the Big Bend Sector. These figures reflect the lax border-enforcement policies of the previous administration, not current trends. For the four months of FY2026 (Oct 2025-Jan 2026), the total number of USBP encounters with illegal aliens was 734, averaging about 184 per month – again, in an area that includes most of West Texas and all of Oklahoma. This dramatic decline shows that a strong enforcement policy is all that was needed to reduce illegal border crossings in this Sector.
- Within the Big Bend Sector, the parks are the least likely crossing points for illegal aliens. The National Park has 118 miles of river frontage, and the State Park has about 30 miles, totaling roughly 28% of the river frontage in the Big Bend Sector. This river frontage is extremely remote, accessible only by a few park roads (or, in the case of the State Park, FM170) that are actively monitored by USBP. The terrain is very hostile, and the distances are too great for a viable foot crossing. USBP’s enforcement in the park is already effective.
- Building a wall through the parks is a massive waste of taxpayer money. Since 2025, DHS/CBP contract awards for “Smart Wall” systems (including primary and secondary barriers, technology, and other features) average around $20 million per mile. Building a wall along the 148 miles of riverfront in the parks will cost about $3 billion. Even spread out over decades, this totals millions of dollars for each illegal crossing prevented. The cost of the wall is vastly higher than more affordable, effective solutions, such as increasing USBP staffing and using electronic surveillance tools like drones.
- Building a wall along the Rio Grande in the parks would deny Texans the opportunity to enjoy one of the country’s most untamed public landscapes. The Rio Grande in Big Bend, especially its wild desert and canyons, is truly extraordinary. In January, I floated Boquillas Canyon with my son’s scout troop, and saw how powerfully the beauty and challenge of a river trip affect young people. In a time when we want to create more chances for active, vigorous outdoor experiences for our youth, DHS’s plan does the opposite.
Good luck in your new position, and thank you for considering this comment.
Sincerely,
Chris Smith
Austin, Texas
Vamonos Baby! 