10/02/2026
An open letter to our Representatives,
I am writing to express my deep concern that the pause in border barrier construction in the Greater Big Bend region has expired, putting this extraordinary landscape and the communities that depend on it at renewed risk.
With multiple court cases currently underway, each seeking to halt further destruction for various legal and environmental reasons, I urge you to do everything within your power to ensure that construction remains on hold until the courts have had a meaningful opportunity to hear and resolve these cases.
Moving forward with construction while these legal proceedings are still in progress risks causing irreversible damage before the courts can even deliver their decisions. Once this landscape is altered, the consequences for our wildlife, natural resources, dark skies, tourism economy, and local communities cannot simply be undone. A continued pause is a reasonable and responsible step while the legal process runs its course.
The timing makes this particularly urgent. We are entering the heart of the high season in the Greater Big Bend region. Over the next several weeks, thousands of visitors from across Texas and the country will travel here to experience our national and state parks, our remarkable landscapes, our wildlife, and the unique character of our border communities. These visitors come because this region offers something increasingly rare: wide-open spaces, extraordinary natural beauty, and a landscape that remains largely untouched.
They will also be witnessing firsthand what happens here. The decisions made in Washington and Austin are not abstract political issues to the people who live here or to the visitors who travel thousands of miles to experience this place. The visible consequences of construction will be seen, photographed, discussed, and shared far beyond our county lines.
And these visitors are voters. As the midterm elections approach, many of the people experiencing the Greater Big Bend region this season will soon have an opportunity to make their voices heard at the ballot box. The treatment of this region and the decisions made about its future will not necessarily be forgotten when they cast their votes.
I ask that you use your offices and influence to:
* **Continue the halt on construction** throughout the Greater Big Bend region while the pending court cases proceed.
* **Publicly advocate for a continued pause** until the courts have had the opportunity to consider the legal challenges and their potential consequences.
* **Engage directly with local communities, property owners, business leaders, and elected officials** whose livelihoods and futures are tied to this region.
* **Prioritize transparency and accountability** in all decisions affecting the region, including the environmental, economic, and community impacts of any proposed construction.
This is not a request to disregard border security or the legitimate responsibilities of our government. It is a request for responsible decision-making, respect for the legal process, and recognition that protecting our communities and natural resources must be part of any long-term solution.
The Greater Big Bend region is a national treasure. Its value extends far beyond the Texas border, and the people who visit it come to understand that firsthand. Please do not allow irreversible damage to move forward while the courts are still weighing the legal questions before them.
The opportunity to prevent further destruction is still here. I urge you to act now, stand with the communities and people who care deeply about this region, and help ensure that construction remains halted until the pending court proceedings have run their course.
Sincerely,
Jamie Flack
Brewster County Resident, Property Owner, Business Owner, and Community Member
