TON Reservation feels like an occupied Nation

[AZLD4Candidate]

In traveling the 22 mile round trip from my home to my high school, I passed no less than 18 border patrol SUVs and one border patrol helicopter flying overhead.

The Tohono o'Odham Nation's land and population crosses the border into Mexico and because of that, many on The Nation do not recognize the border since the border represents something similar to the Berlin Wall to them.

My students and their parents abhor the Border Patrol treating their land as the BP's occupied land while disrespecting their property (students have told me BP car park on their land and refuse to vacate when asked) and disrespecting their traffic laws by speeding down they roads driving like maniacs (I normally drive 70 on a road marked for 65 MPH and Border Patrol car pass me like I am standing still).

CBP, ICE, and the BP have little oversight and are arrogant and smug when you have any interaction when them.

This needs to change and I plan on working to do that if elected, even though this is a federal issue.

No American citizen should feel like their backyard is being dominated by people who act as an occupying force in a war zone.

[monkeyman1]

1. TRUMP'S WALL NEED'S TO BE TORN DOWN . WE DON'T NEED A BERLIN WALL !!!

[KPN]

2. You have a Secretary of Interior and President who

will no doubt he sympathetic and helpful to the tribe on this. Not to mention Secretary of Homeland Security as well. That sounds like a horrible and totally unnecessary situation. Has the tribe taken this to Interior yet?

[AZLD4Candidate]

7. I am not a member of the Nation, so I wouldn't know.

And I wouldn't feel right to ask.

[KPN]

12. Ah, gotcha. Good for you that you're running for office.

Best of luck with that. Hopefully, you’ll be able to have a positive impact on this situation.

[Gymbo]

3. I don't understand

I thought reservations were sovereign, why are the government agencies not respecting that? Also how does the latest SC ruling affect this? the SC said that they backed indigenous police power on tribal land.

[AZLD4Candidate]

10. Because throughout US History, the government has violated most every treaty

signed with the Native Americans before the ink was dry. Arizona has pretty much destroyed water rights for Native Americans by make treaties in surplus years of water, then enforcing the terms hard in drought years, like now.

[Gymbo]

11. Oh I agree wholeheartedly that Indian abuse has shamed America

But this seems different, look at this quote about Indian sovereignty

"Tribal sovereignty refers to the right of American Indians and Alaska Natives to govern themselves. The U.S. Constitution recognizes Indian tribes as distinct governments and they have, with a few exceptions, the same powers as federal and state governments to regulate their internal affairs."

The Supreme Court today said this:

"In its first major opinion on the scope of American Indian tribes’ sovereign powers in decades, the Supreme court held on Tuesday in United States v. Cooley that tribal governments — and thus their police officers — have the power to search and temporarily detain non-Indians suspected of breaking federal or state laws within reservations. Justice Stephen Breyer wrote the opinion for the court. Justice Samuel Alito filed a brief concurrence noting that he views the holding as a limited one."

Now, I have no idea about the internal operation of that reservation, but something seems remiss to me. I am curious, and if you could shine a light on that I would be grateful.

[JoeOtterbein]

4. K n R ! Thanks for posting!

And thanks for being a proud progressive running for office. We need more!

[Evolve Dammit]

5. You are justified and another transgression that needs to change. Please post any new info as it

emerges and ask for help if you need assistance. Take care

[Devilsun]

6. It's been like that for years. I had to drive to Sells to submit a bid for a construction project

About 8 years ago. I was astonished by the amount of BP vehicles I saw.

[BobTheSubgenius]

8. There is at least one, and possibly more, reservation that straddles the US/Canadian border.

I've not been there, but I've heard that the Akwasasne is a fairly busy "port" for smuggling.

[AZLD4Candidate]

9. Those are my mother's people. She is Mohawk.

Mostly cigarettes and weed. Been an issue there for years, but there isn't an occupying-like force roaming the streets like on the Tohono o'Odham Nation here in Arizona.

[BobTheSubgenius]

13. Cigarettes north, and weed south? That would make sense.

A friend of mine is tapped into the cig market. By no means a smuggler or anything of the sort, but he does enjoy cheaper smokes. The govt? They are less enthusiastic.

As for me...I've had from little to less-than-no interest for many years now. Totally fine with the First Nations making some $ there. Why should they support the tax model?