Tribe accuses US federal agents of ‘trespassing’ on indigenous border land
Summary
The Tohono O’odham Nation, an Indigenous tribe in Arizona, has accused U.S. federal agents and construction workers of illegally entering its land to build a border wall. The tribe says it was not asked for permission and that the work violates their rights and damages sacred and sensitive areas.Key Facts
- The Tohono O’odham Nation is located along about 62 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona and Mexico’s Sonora state.
- Around 20 armed Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents and construction workers entered tribal land before dawn to start border wall work.
- The CBP blocked the area with vehicles and brought a SWAT team to protect contractors. Mexican police and a surveillance balloon were also present.
- Tribal police were stopped by federal agents from issuing trespassing citations to the construction workers.
- The tribe has members on both sides of the border, who cross using tribal ID cards instead of passports.
- The Tohono O’odham Nation says it has cooperated with federal authorities to reduce irregular border crossings and drug smuggling by over 95%.
- The tribe filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration in June over land use for the border wall, saying the construction ignores their sovereignty and causes environmental and cultural harm.
- The tribe prefers to spend resources on services for its members but feels forced to protect its rights through legal action.
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