Background

The Tohono O’odham have resided in what is now southern and
central Arizona and northern Mexico since time immemorial.
The Gadsden Purchase of 1853 divided the Tohono O’odham’s
traditional lands and separated their communities. Today, the
Nation’s reservation includes 62 miles of international border.
The Nation is a federally recognized tribe of 34,000 members,
including more than 2,000 residing in Mexico.

Long before there was a border, tribal members traveled back
and forth to visit family, participate in cultural and religious
events, and many other practices. For these reasons and many
others, the Nation has opposed fortified walls on the border for
many years.