A wasteful wall in southwest Texas

Last week Byron York sang the praises of Donald Trump’s forward motion on building the wall and stated it is “attracting less opposition” than previously. Hmmm, familiar with the Big Bend Region of southwest Texas? The entire region beyond the actual national park is popular because of its untouched rugged landscape, including the Rio Grand river canyons, open vistas and biodiverse web of ecological life. Trucks and construction equipment are staging now in that area.

Citizens and others who love this region are rallying to defend this open space. It is reported that a bipartisan coalition of five West Texas sheriffs strongly oppose the steel border wall in the Big Bend Region as unnecessary and costly because of steep rocky terrain and a devastating economic impact to thriving local tourism. 

Border security in this region is managed successfully with law enforcement techniques such as mobile surveillance systems, cameras and communications technology and thermal imaging and movement detection. The border is already secure in Big Bend and erecting this expensive, unnecessary wall devastates incredible wildlife habitat, rare desert ecosystems, stunning hiking trails of canyon views and river corridors. The construction process alone, creating roads and access is already beginning to impact the region. 

I encourage all to reject a unilateral wall across The Big Bend Region of West Texas and join the vast opposition to this waste of our tax dollars.

Connie Schmidt

Warrenville