Glamping Business Owner Denounces Border Wall Plans for Big Bend

Billy Bartko traveled to Capitol Hill to urge lawmakers to listen to locals and protect the land.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 10:05pm

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A serene painting of a solitary canoe floating on the Rio Grande river, the warm sunlight casting deep shadows across the water and surrounding landscape, capturing the natural beauty and tranquility of the Big Bend region.The tranquil Rio Grande river, the lifeblood of the Big Bend region, faces an uncertain future as plans for a border wall threaten its delicate ecosystem and outdoor recreation economy.El Paso Today

Billy Bartko, the owner of the glamping business The Summit in Terlingua, Texas, traveled to Washington, D.C. to speak out against plans to build a border wall in the Big Bend region. Bartko, who is part of the No Big Bend Wall coalition, argued that a border wall would harm river-based tourism, reduce property values, destroy wildlife corridors, and damage archaeological sites along the Rio Grande. He demanded that funding for the border wall project be rescinded until there is full transparency, competitive bidding, and complete economic and environmental studies.

Why it matters

The proposed border wall construction in the Big Bend region has faced significant local opposition, with concerns that it would negatively impact the area's thriving tourism industry, natural landscapes, and cultural heritage. As a prominent local business owner, Bartko's voice adds to the growing chorus of community members urging the government to reconsider these plans.

The details

Bartko, who owns the glamping business The Summit in Terlingua, Texas, traveled to Washington, D.C. to join Texas lawmakers and members of the No Border Wall Coalition and the Rio Grande International Study Center in speaking out against plans for border walls in Big Bend National Park, Big Bend Ranch State Park, and Laredo. Bartko argued that the Big Bend sector represents some of the most pristine, untouched landscape in America and that the U.S. Border Patrol's Big Bend Sector routinely reports the fewest migrant encounters along the Southwest border. He demanded that funding for the entire border wall project be rescinded until there is full transparency, competitive bidding, and complete economic and environmental studies.

  • On Thursday, Bartko was in Washington, D.C. to speak out against the border wall plans.
  • Last month, the Rio Grande International Study Center published a report finding that the proposed wall and buoy system could increase water flows during flooding, trap litter and debris, threaten livestock and property, and threaten bridges.

The players

Billy Bartko

The owner of The Summit, an outdoor glamping business in Terlingua, Texas, and a member of the No Big Bend Wall coalition.

No Big Bend Wall

A community coalition focused on stopping the proposed construction of a border wall in the Big Bend region, arguing that it would harm river-based tourism and local livelihoods, reduce property values, destroy wildlife corridors, and damage archaeological sites.

Melissa Cigarroa

A Laredo City Councilwoman who spoke out against the increased risk of flooding resulting from border wall construction.

Mark Tompkins

A fluvial geomorphologist hired by the Rio Grande International Study Center to study how the proposed border wall and buoy system could impact the river basin.

Lloyd Doggett

A U.S. Representative from Texas who organized the news conference where Bartko and others spoke out against the border wall plans.

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What they’re saying

“We do not need a wall, and we do not need any border barriers inside the Rio Grande River. Our Big Bend sector represents 517 miles of some of the most pristine, untouched landscape in America.”

— Billy Bartko, Owner, The Summit

“Billions of dollars are being pushed into this project that does not match the reality of what is on the ground. Contracts have already been awarded without competition. Work has already been done without environmental studies or local government approval. DHS is proceeding without any accountability or oversight. What we are seeing right now is not responsible governance. It is reckless. It is rushed. And it is putting lives, property, and irreplaceable landscapes in danger.”

— Billy Bartko, Owner, The Summit

“This river is an urban river with 20-plus riverside neighborhoods dating back to the 1800s in Laredo that house tens of thousands of residents that I represent, and there are tens of thousands of people in our sister city in Nuevo Laredo in Mexico who live along this river, too. It is our duty as city leaders to oppose the wall until the proper studies are conducted and this plan is changed to prove that people in my community will not die.”

— Melissa Cigarroa, Laredo City Councilwoman

What’s next

Bartko and other opponents of the border wall plans in the Big Bend region are calling for the funding for the entire project to be rescinded until there is full transparency, competitive bidding, and complete economic and environmental studies conducted.

The takeaway

The proposed border wall construction in the Big Bend region has faced significant local opposition, with concerns that it would negatively impact the area's thriving tourism industry, natural landscapes, and cultural heritage. As a prominent local business owner, Bartko's voice adds to the growing chorus of community members urging the government to reconsider these plans and prioritize the protection of this unique and irreplaceable region.