- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
TOHONO O’ODHAM NATION — The Tohono O’Odham Nation is condemning the Trump administration for its use of tear gas by law enforcement near a Border Patrol checkpoint last week where many of the protesters rallying included members of its tribe.
The protesters had gathered to protest the ongoing desecration of sacred and burial sites by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s construction of the border wall on the Nation’s ancestral homelands, and to prevent further desecration.
A Customs and Border Patrol spokesman confirmed to Arizona Public Media that agents used tear gas, and that eleven people were arrested in the protests.
The tear gas attack was caught on video, which clearly shows them being tear gassed and then forcefully removed. One image shows four law enforcement officers kneeling on a single protestor. There are also reports of additional attacks on the nonviolent protesters, including the firing of rubber bullets to disperse them. These actions took place on Indigenous Peoples’ Day, and appeared on video.
“The use of tear gas on O’odham and fellow American citizens exercising their sacred constitutional right to protest is utterly appalling, and not something that should be tolerated in our democracy. For years, I and other O’odham leaders have been raising the alarm about the very issues that are at the root of this travesty – the wanton destruction of burial and other sites that are sacred to the Tohono O’odham, and that should be protected by law,” Tohono O’odham Nation Chairman Ned Norris Jr. said.
The Tohono O’odham Nation has attempted to halt the Trump administration’s efforts to build the wall on its ancestral sacred sites at the southern border of the United States. The tribal nation has sent letters, held meetings and even testified before Congress to have the federal government respect its position.
Norris says the administration’s reckless disregard for the Tohono O’odham’s religious and constitutional rights have been ignored. Instead, the administration’s desire to construct the wall has been embodied by dynamite and bulldozers through the tribal nation’s original homeland, he said. And now tear gas.
“We, the Tohono O’odham, have been on the front lines of border security for generations. We are committed to national security and law enforcement. We have implemented vehicle barriers, Integrated Fixed Towers, and many other measures to protect the U.S. We have spent our own funds to do so. As such, when we say a fortified wall is ineffective, easily bypassed, and a complete waste of taxpayer dollars, we know what we are talking about. This irrational, mad dash to build a wall is destroying our environment, desecrating sacred places, and physically separating our people for no real reason beyond serving as a wildly expensive campaign prop for the president. This must end,” Norris said.
“The Trump Administration must take responsibility for this situation,” he added. “I call on the administration to cease the destruction of our sacred sites and engage in meaningful discussions with the Nation on preventing further harm to sacred sites and burial grounds.”
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Native News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
NEXT ON NATIVE BIDASKÉ: What if your tribe erased you?
Deb Haaland Meets with Taos Acequia Leaders to Discuss Water Rights and Agricultural Preservation
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
