Trump administration asks Supreme Court to resume Big Bend work

The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to let construction resume on border barriers and related infrastructure in the Big Bend region of West Texas, challenging a judge’s order that halted the work while a lawsuit proceeds. The emergency application, filed Wednesday, seeks to lift a preliminary injunction issued October 2 by U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone. The injunction bars the Department of Homeland Security from building barriers or related infrastructure, or carrying out construction or ground-disturbing activity, in the Big Bend Sector. Cardone later declined the administration’s request to pause her ruling while it appealed. Cardone found that the administration likely exceeded its authority when it waived federal legal requirements to speed construction. The waivers were issued under a 1996 law that allows the homeland security secretary to set aside legal requirements deemed necessary for the prompt construction of border barriers and roads. The administration’s application asks the justices to intervene before the underlying legal challenge is resolved. Solicitor General D. John Sauer argued that keeping the injunction in place would leave a gap...