Mary Cantrell

A lawsuit filed Monday takes aim at federal agencies' use of waivers to expedite construction of a wall along the border with Mexico and claims that landowner's constitutional rights are being violated.

A lawsuit filed Monday takes aim at federal agencies' use of waivers to expedite construction of a wall along the border with Mexico and claims that landowner's constitutional rights are being violated.

Pacifico Energy, the company developing a massive natural gas power plant and data center owned by Amazon in Pecos County, met with officials in neighboring Brewster County this week about the possibility of a similar project northwest of Alpine.

At a Friday hearing in El Paso, a U.S. District Judge ordered all construction on the Big Bend area border wall project to stop immediately — including in Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park. The order also included the stay of federal waivers that expedited the project.

The Trump administration on Thursday asked a federal judge to allow border construction to resume across the Big Bend region. The administration says it plans to take the case to the Supreme Court.

Facilities set to house hundreds of border wall construction workers have cropped up in remote Big Bend communities, prompting complaints from locals to state regulators over public health concerns. An investigation by Marfa Public Radio reveals the state’s response to those complaints has been hindered by the Trump administration’s move to bypass federal laws for the $7 billion project.

An investigation by Marfa Public Radio reveals the state's response to those complaints has been hindered by the Trump administration's move to bypass federal laws for the $7 billion project.

The Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to allow construction on border walls and other barriers across the Big Bend region of West Texas to continue. The request comes after a federal district judge blocked the construction amid an ongoing legal fight.

Let Texans Do Texas, a newly-launched nonprofit, is calling on state and federal leaders to create a $2 billion border security fund specifically for the Big Bend region as an alternative to the Trump administration's border wall plans. The group says it’s advocating for a local approach, rather than a “one-size-fits-all federal construction program.”

Early voting is underway in Texas through Friday, Oct. 30, with Election Day set for Tuesday, Nov. 3. Here’s a rundown of what’s on local ballots in the Big Bend and Permian Basin.