AUSTIN, Texas - Demonstrators gathered outside the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's annual meeting on Wednesday, demanding state leaders step in to stop planned border barrier construction across more than 48 miles of state park land, including Big Bend Ranch State Park.

What they're saying: The protest comes as federal officials temporarily pause work inside nearby Big Bend National Park to reevaluate controversial infrastructure plans.

Former park superintendents, conservation groups, and local business owners have voiced strong opposition to heavy machinery entering the ecologically sensitive landscape, warning the project threatens native wildlife habitats and the region's tourism-driven economy.