US resumes 100-km border wall despite Tohono O'odham protests

The United States has resumed construction of a 100-kilometer border wall segment along the Arizona–Mexico border, known as 'Tucson 5', despite strong opposition from the Tohono O'odham Nation, whose ancestral lands and sacred sites are affected Source: El Confidencial. The project restarted after a federal judge in California denied the tribe's request for a temporary injunction, ruling that the tribe had not shown the construction would illegally reduce its reservation or constitute a federal invasion Source: Infobae.

Tribal response

The Tohono O'odham traditional government condemned the incursion, reporting that around twenty armed DHS officers escorted contractor crews onto their territory at 4:00 a.m. on August 25 to conduct soil sampling at three separate sites Source: Excelsior. The tribe calls the presence illegal and a violation of the Tohono O'odham Code, and says its police are monitoring the situation Source: Excelsior. Community members remain vigilant to prevent escalation Source: Excelsior.

Political reaction

Democratic Congresswoman Adelita S. Grijalva and three other House members urged the DHS and DOI to halt construction until meaningful consultation with the tribe occurs, citing concerns about sacred sites and cultural resources Source: El Confidencial. They also questioned the use of taxpayer funds for secondary barriers and called for more cost-effective border security approaches Source: Infobae.

Disagreement

Sources differ on the legality of the construction: the tribe and its supporters view it as an illegal invasion, while CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott defends it as necessary to close a dangerous smuggling corridor Source: El Confidencial. The judge's ruling sided with the federal government, but the tribe continues its legal challenge in federal court Source: Excelsior.