--- title: "Texas landowners sue to halt Trump border wall in Big Bend" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/texas-landowners-sue-to-halt-trump-border-wall-in-big-bend" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/texas-landowners-sue-to-halt-trump-border-wall-in-big-bend" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/texas-landowners-sue-to-halt-trump-border-wall-in-big-bend.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/texas-landowners-sue-to-halt-trump-border-wall-in-big-bend" category: "Politics" area: "United States" published: "2026-09-14T16:45:59.506Z" source_reported: "2026-09-14T16:04:10.000Z" updated: "2026-09-14T16:45:59.506Z" trust_score: 42 critic_score: 57 hype_score: 41 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-09-14T16:30:27.409675+00:00" --- # Texas landowners sue to halt Trump border wall in Big Bend *Lawsuit challenges federal government's use of regulatory waivers for border infrastructure in a region with low illegal entry rates.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 42 of 100, higher is better. The central claim is attributed to a named body, and two independent outlets published full reports. - Craft 57 of 100, higher is better. The reporting includes quotes from affected individuals and names specific locations and figures. - Hype 41 of 100, lower is better. The headlines use strong language like 'furious' and 'protest' which is not fully supported by the digests. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Landowners, ranchers, and business owners in Texas, along with the nonprofit Conserve Big Bend, have filed a lawsuit to block the Trump administration's border wall plans in the Big Bend region. - The lawsuit challenges the administration's $46 billion border infrastructure project, specifically the use of 30-foot steel bollard walls. - Plaintiffs contend that the Department of Homeland Security is improperly using regulatory waivers for border wall construction in areas designated as having "high illegal entry." - Customs and Border Protection data cited in the suit indicates the Big Bend region accounts for approximately 1% of arrests, despite covering about 500 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border. A group of landowners, ranchers, and business owners in Texas, supported by the nonprofit Conserve Big Bend, has filed a lawsuit to halt the Trump administration's border wall construction plans in the Big Bend region. The legal challenge targets the administration's broader $46 billion initiative to build border infrastructure, which includes plans for 30-foot steel bollard walls along the U.S.-Mexico border. Central to the lawsuit is the argument that the Department of Homeland Security is misusing its authority to waive regulations. Plaintiffs assert that these waivers, intended for areas of "high illegal entry," are being improperly applied to the Big Bend region. They cite data from Customs and Border Protection showing that this area, which comprises about 500 miles of the border, accounted for only about 1% of arrests. This contrasts with the administration's justification for expedited construction. ## Disagreement on regulatory waivers The plaintiffs argue that the determination of "high illegal entry" for the Big Bend region is "legally and factually unsound and unsupported." They contend that the Department of Homeland Security is misusing powers granted by Congress, which allow the secretary broad authority to waive regulations for border wall construction in areas with significant numbers of individuals attempting to cross the border illegally. ## What the coverage left out None of the left-rated or centre-rated reports mentioned the total $46 billion cost of the administration's border infrastructure effort. The full reports from The Record and The Independent (US) did not include specific details about the potential impact on livestock or crop irrigation for landowners, a concern mentioned in other accounts. ## Who covered it Shares of the 10 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 70% (7) - Centre: 30% (3) - Right: 0% (0) 1 of 11 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-09-14T16:30:27.409675+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 2 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-09-14T17:15:17.867Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - Six left-rated reports covered the lawsuit filed by Texas landowners against the Trump administration's border wall plans in the Big Bend region. These reports highlighted the plaintiffs' argument that the Department of Homeland Security is misusing regulatory waivers. They noted the lawsuit's citation of Customs and Border Protection statistics indicating the Big Bend region accounts for about 1% of arrests despite its extensive border mileage. The reports also mentioned concerns raised by Native American groups regarding potential damage to religious sites and by environmentalists about flooding and wildlife migration. ### Centre - Four centre-rated reports focused on the lawsuit initiated by Texas landowners and the nonprofit Conserve Big Bend to block border wall construction in the Big Bend region. These reports detailed the legal challenge against the administration's $46 billion border infrastructure project and the use of 30-foot steel bollard walls. They also highlighted the plaintiffs' claim that the Department of Homeland Security is improperly using regulatory waivers, citing data that the Big Bend region represents a small fraction of border arrests. One digest mentioned that rules were waived to permit construction atop an ancient Native American burial ground. ### Right No separate framing summary. **Provisional coverage gap:** right. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - mixed: 2 - high: 6 - unknown: 1 - veryHigh: 2 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [The Record](https://troyrecord.com/2026/09/14/texas-landowners-sue-trump-border-wall-big-bend) — Texas landowners sue to block Trump border wall plans in the remote Big Bend region - [The Toronto Star](https://thestar.com/news/world/united-states/texas-landowners-sue-to-block-trump-border-wall-plans-in-the-remote-big-bend-region/article_aaeaa92d-e0c4-527f-8455-f76455460b03.html) — Texas landowners sue to block Trump border wall plans in the remote Big Bend region - [The Independent](https://independent.co.uk/news/texas-trump-customs-and-border-protection-rio-grande-mexico-b3050004.html) — Texas landowners sue to block Trump border wall plans in the remote Big Bend region - [The Independent (US)](https://the-independent.com/news/texas-trump-customs-and-border-protection-rio-grande-mexico-b3050004.html) — Texas landowners sue to block Trump border wall plans in the remote Big Bend region - [Enid News & Eagle](https://enidnews.com/region/texas-landowners-sue-to-block-trump-border-wall-plans-in-the-remote-big-bend-region/article_1e7fb3ba-b60b-5586-a0d5-31584b68fe51.html) — Texas landowners sue to block Trump border wall plans in the remote Big Bend region - [abc News](https://abcnews.com/US/wireStory/texas-landowners-sue-block-trump-border-wall-plans-136425067) — Texas landowners sue to block Trump border wall plans in the remote Big Bend region - [Bangor Daily News](https://bangordailynews.com/2026/09/14/nation/texas-landowners-sue-to-block-trump-border-wall-plans-in-the-remote-big-bend-region) — Texas landowners sue to block Trump border wall plans in the remote Big Bend region - [We Got This Covered](https://wegotthiscovered.com/politics/texas-trump-voters-furious-as-border-wall-construction-seizes-their-private-property-im-mad-im-disgusted-and-im-disappointed) — Texas Trump voters furious as border wall construction seizes their private property: 'I’m mad, I’m disgusted, and I’m disappointed' - [The Record](https://therecord.com/news/world/united-states/texas-landowners-sue-to-block-trump-border-wall-plans-in-the-remote-big-bend-region/article_0b2bc0ae-2615-557f-9c6f-e796e2226641.html) — Texas landowners sue to block Trump border wall plans in the remote Big Bend region - [Winnipeg Free Press](https://winnipegfreepress.com/world/2026/09/14/texas-landowners-sue-to-block-trump-border-wall-plans-in-the-remote-big-bend-region) — Texas landowners sue to block Trump border wall plans in the remote Big Bend region - [womenzmag.com](https://womenzmag.com/local-news/trump-voters-protest-border) — Trump Voters Protest Border Wall Land Seizures in Texas ## Questions **Who is suing to stop the border wall in Big Bend?** Landowners, ranchers, and business owners in Texas, along with the nonprofit Conserve Big Bend, are suing to stop the Trump administration's border wall plans. They argue the government is misusing its authority to waive regulations in the region. **What is the main argument against the border wall in Big Bend?** The plaintiffs argue that the Department of Homeland Security is improperly using powers to waive regulations for border wall construction. They contend this is happening in the Big Bend region, which they say has low rates of illegal entry, making the waivers unnecessary and unsound. **What statistics are cited in the lawsuit?** The lawsuit cites Customs and Border Protection statistics showing that the Big Bend region, despite having about 500 miles of border, accounted for only about 1% of arrests. This figure is used to challenge the designation of the area as one of "high illegal entry." --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/texas-landowners-sue-to-halt-trump-border-wall-in-big-bend. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Texas landowners sue to halt Trump border wall in Big Bend", https://mediabias.news/politics/texas-landowners-sue-to-halt-trump-border-wall-in-big-bend