Trump administration starts building border wall project in Arizona over tribe’s objections

The Trump administration has begun construction of a border wall project in southern Arizona on land belonging to the Tohono O’odham Nation, despite tribal objections. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) states the area is a critical smuggling route, and building the wall is necessary for security. However, the Tohono O’odham Nation accuses the administration of trespassing on sacred land and violating tribal codes. A federal judge previously allowed construction to proceed, ruling it would occur on federally owned land within the Roosevelt Reservation. The tribe maintains that contractors are trespassing to access the construction sites, and CBP agents have reportedly blocked tribal police. CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott defended the project, citing the area's history of drug smuggling and cartel activity. The Tohono O’odham Nation is considering further legal action.

The Tohono O'odham Nation has accused US federal agents and construction workers of trespassing on their reservation land in Arizona to begin border wall construction. The tribe stated that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents accompanied workers to three locations before dawn, preventing tribal police from issuing citations. This action follows a lawsuit filed by the tribe to halt construction, which they argue threatens sacred sites and natural resources and violates their sovereignty. The Trump administration contends the land is federal territory for security purposes, citing a 1907 proclamation, though a 2023 report found border wall efforts had harmed Indigenous land. A federal judge recently declined to issue a preliminary injunction to stop the construction.