Administration Takes Loss, at Least for Now, on Texas Wall

A federal judge just put an obstacle in the way of the Trump administration's plans for a stretch of border wall in one of the most remote corners of Texas. US District Judge Kathleen Cardone on Friday granted a preliminary injunction that halts "ground-disturbing activities" tied to five wall projects in the Big Bend region, saying environmental and constitutional claims brought by opponents are likely to hold up in court, the Big Bend Sentinel reports. The lawsuit, led by the Center for Biological Diversity, names the Department of Homeland Security on behalf of a local preservation group and Rio Grande landowner and river guide Danny William Miller, who says the barrier would cut him off from the river and destroy his livelihood. The injunction is to remain in force until the case is decided.

The judge wrote that the government may not hurry construction by invoking waivers of environmental and other laws it had granted itself, per the New York Times, while the case plays out. Laiken Jordahl of the Center for Biological Diversity, which brought the suit, called Cardone's ruling a "total victory," per the AP. "The bulldozers are going to be sent packing until she rules on the merits," Jordahl said. "This is such a historic day for Big Bend and for Texas and the Constitution." The suit is one of six filed to block the wall, per the Sentinel. A judge declined to grant a request for a temporary restraining order the day before in a different case.