The Department of Homeland Security waived dozens of environmental laws Monday to ease the way for construction of border barriers and roads through Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park.

DHS's notice of determination, which goes into effect Tuesday, is the latest action by the federal government that environmentalists read as preparations to construct a physical border wall through the revered West Texas parkland.

Sign up Even though the Trump White House has given numerous assurances over the past few months that it doesn't plan to build a physical wall through the public lands, watchdog groups argue the administration is still waiving laws and earmarking inflated budgets as if preparing to do just that.