Apr 11, 2018 - Tohono O’odham Nation Rejects National Guard Deployment to their Lands

Tohono O’odham Nation – On April 9th, 2018 the Tohono O’odham Nation issued a statement to its Tribal citizens ensuring them that no National Guard troops will be deployed to their lands. The response comes on the heels of President Trump’s request for National Guard troops to be deployed to the US and Mexico border.

The Tohono O’odham Nation traditional lands lay on both sides of the US and Mexico “border”. They have consistently fought against any attempts by the US government to build a wall across their lands and have resisted any efforts that would impede on their citizens right to freely travel throughout their traditional homelands.

President Trump’s orders to send National Guard troops to the border follows similar actions taken by both President Obama and Bush who also deployed troops to the border.

Tohono O’odham Nation statement

Tohono O’odham Nation traditional lands

Tohono O’odham Nation video expressing opposing to a border wall

by Wakíƞyaƞ Waánataƞ (Matt Remle)

LRI’s Matt Remle with Chookenshaa AllenDick and Haliehana Stepetin at MMIW march. Photo by Alex Garland

Matt Remle (Lakota) is an editor and writer for Last Real Indiansand LRInspire and the co-founder of Mazaska Talks. Follow @wakiyan7