Tohono O’odham Nation’s border wall lawsuit heads to federal court in Washington D.C.
By Marissa Orr
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SELLS, Arizona (KVOA) — The Tohono O’odham Nation’s lawsuit seeking to stop border wall construction on reservation lands will receive its first federal court hearing Wednesday.
The hearing on the Nation’s request for a preliminary injunction will take place July 22 at 1 p.m. Arizona time, according to tribe leaders. The proceedings will be held at the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia under Judge Richard Leon.
Leaders from the Nation will attend the hearing in person. The court will not provide a livestream of the proceedings.
In June, the Tohono O’odham Nation filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to block construction of a border wall on tribal lands.
On July 14, the Pima County Board of Supervisors voted 4-to-1 to approve a resolution opposing border wall construction in support of the Tohono O’odham Nation.
“It will help us to fight and protect our land, our culture, our people from this destructive wall,” Tohono O’odham Nation Chairman Verlon Jose said. “This is aligned with the Pima County values.”
A spokesperson with DHS provided News 4 Tucson with this statement:
“Secretary [Markwayne] Mullin is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and made clear during his confirmation hearing that he respects tribal sovereignty. DHS is committed to ongoing coordination with stakeholders, including tribal nations, throughout planning and construction activities. DHS values its relationship with the Tohono O’odham Nation and remains focused on open communication and minimizing impacts.”
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