MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
President Trump's signature border wall got billions of dollars from Republican legislation last year and fewer restrictions on where it can be built. A fight is on to save a south Texas wildlife refuge now in its path. Texas Public Radio's David Martin Davies reports.
(SOUNDBITE OF BIRDS CALLING)
DAVID MARTIN DAVIES, BYLINE: The southern tip of Texas was once a literal jungle. It stretched along the Rio Grande, thick with Sabal palm trees and dense native brush. But in the last century, about 95% of it has been lost, turned into farmland. The Santa Ana National Refuge is one of the last remnants of that lost jungle, and it's known as one of the best bird-watching locations in the nation.
LORI ARCHAMAULT: We saw water gadwalls and coots, pintails, northern shovelers.
DAVIES: Lori and Dennis Archamault are a retired couple from the Twin Cities area of Minnesota and avid birders. They are troubled to learn that the Trump administration is now planning to build a massive border wall through this protected natural area.
ARCHAMAULT: I think it would be devastating to the wildlife out here. Floodlights and everything - it's really hard on the migration.
DAVIES: A 2022 report from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley found that nature tourism contributed over $700 million a year to the local economy. That could be at risk if the new border wall segments are built. The Border Patrol has a constant presence at the refuge, and observers say this is not a high-traffic area for illegal border crossings. Nevertheless, an updated U.S. Customs and Border Protection map shows the plans for a border wall cutting through the Santa Ana National Refuge, the Benson State Park, the historic La Lomita Chapel and the National Butterfly Center. And DHS confirmed this week this is their plan. Previously, all these areas were off-limits for border wall construction due to carve-outs passed in Congress. But that recently changed, according to Marisa Oliva, president of Friends of the Wildlife Corridor.
MARISA OLIVA: The One Big Beautiful Bill. That law that passed last year in 2025 is not included in that prohibition section.
DAVIES: The One Big Beautiful Bill is a sweeping law that gave over $46 billion for new border wall construction. Oliva is hoping that current negotiations in Congress over reforms to ICE, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, will restore the border wall carve-outs.
OLIVA: So unless we get that language in there, we are going to leave the gates wide open for funding to be used to build the border wall here.
DAVIES: On Super Bowl Sunday, dozens of people came to the refuge carrying homemade signs, demanding that wildlife be protected. They were trying to send a message to Washington, particularly to Congressman Henry Cuellar, a south Texas Democrat who was the ranking member on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security. Cuellar was instrumental in securing those border wall carve-outs years ago.
HENRY CUELLAR: That's been in the law for many years, where they could not use any federal dollar to construct fencing in those areas. That's been the law.
DAVIES: Cuellar said he's still trying to block the border wall from being built in these special areas, including the Big Bend area in west Texas. But he says as a Democrat, he can only do so much.
CUELLAR: I would ask the activists to focus their energy on the Republicans 'cause that's where I need help with.
DAVIES: The Santa Ana National Refuge is in Republican Representative Monica De La Cruz's district. She has not responded to requests for comments on this issue.
For NPR News, I'm David Martin Davies in the Rio Grande Valley. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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