Arizona tribe refuses Trump’s wall, but agrees to let Border Patrol build virtual barrier

LA Times ^ | May 09, 2019 | Molly Hennessy-Fiske

[SJackson]

Verlon Jose had long vowed President Trump would build a wall along his tribe’s 75-mile border with Mexico only “over my dead body.”

But late last month, the Tohono O’odham Nation’s vice chairman stood at the border and praised a planned wall meant to deter migrants, smugglers — and, according to the tribe, federal agents — from disturbing its lands.

The wall he described was not physical, but virtual: 10 towers up to 140 feet tall, with radar and night vision cameras capable of surveying over several miles and streaming footage around the clock to the Border Patrol.

“The idea is to reduce the footprint of these guys running around, tearing up our land,” Jose said of agents patrolling the reservation.

The integrated fixed towers, or IFTs, as the Border Patrol calls them, were approved in March by a unanimous vote of the tribe’s legislative council, many of them older tribal members.

But some younger members oppose the towers, fearing that their elders have sacrificed hard-won sovereignty. “We’re going to inherit this problem,” said Amy Juan, 33.

And they worry that instead of reducing the Border Patrol’s presence, which has grown in their lifetimes, compromising on the virtual wall will lead to more surveillance and physical barriers.

The agency has said as much. A spokesman said the Border Patrol had no plans to decrease the number of agents patrolling the reservation after the towers were built. He also said the towers did not eliminate the need for a border wall.

But tribal leaders believe the towers could have that effect.

"It is our hope the IFTs will decrease the flow of illegal trafficking and thus the need for such a large Border Patrol presence on the nation,” said Edward Manuel. He emphasized that his people remained firmly against a wall.

[SJackson]

Verlon Jose, center, vice chairman of the Tohono O'odham Nation, talks to a tribal member who was attempting to cross north for medical treatment at tribal facilities using a gate in the reservation's border barrier late last month. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)

I'm wondering if tribal members routinely cross the border themselves. The article seems to imply that. Doesn't cause me any particular problem though I doubt it's legal, but would explain the opposition to a physical wall. They seem to be eating well.

[ConservativeMind]

I think they need more carbs.

[Pearls Before Swine]

Build the wall around the outside of the Reservation, effectively ceding it to Mexico. Give them a virtual fence on the border side.

Let them decide if that state of affairs works for them.

[Sacajaweau]

Wonder how much the indians are making off the illegals.

I'd say lotsa of it goes towards food.

[mewzilla]

I think greased palms is a better explanation.

[chris37]

Yep, wall them out.

[G Larry]

Electronic monitoring is a joke.

It can be turned off or defunded.

BUILD THE WALL!

[liberalh8ter]

Make the tribe legally responsible for anyone caught entering through their land. Watch how quick they change their mind.

[Big Red Badger]

Plata or Plomo,

[VietVet876]

Ole Verlon looks like he doesn’t scrimp on the pemican rellanos.

[LouAvul]

If this "wall" ever gets built (almost mythological at this point), I hope there's an opening all along the border of this property in question. Give these whining brats what they want. Then when the cartels and human smugglers start funneling through this property, and these "sovereign" twits ask for help from the US govt, tell them it's not our problem.

Seriously, is there anybody alive who ever shot an Indian? Why are we still catering to their demands. When America falls to sharia law, do they think their new masters will cater to them?

I never shot and Indian nor owned a slave and do not feel guilty about what my ancestors did.

[rlmorel]

I would say, fine. We can have a virutual border for your 75 miles.

We are, however, also going to build a physical border one around the perimeter of your lands to separate it from the USA to protect our country.

[struggle]

Their land goes right up to the border. I’m sure that their land can be appropriated because they have A LOT (millions of square miles of nothing) of land. There’s also the question as to whether they even own the border land.

[GOPJ]

Build the wall around them on the American side - then create a check point to make sure they’re not taking a cut of cartel drug money... If they want illegals running though their land it fine with me - - as long as OUR checkpoint keeps the illegals out.

[Savage Beast]

So build the wall on the US side of the tribal territory.

[McGavin999]

If the wall is built elsewhere they will quickly change their minds because all the traffic will funnel through their property. Trash and dead bodies will litter the land, people will stop going to the casino because it will be too dangerous.

[Buckeye McFrog]

Wonder how much the indians are making off the illegals.

A tribe similarly situated along the US-Canada border is making a killing off of the drug trade.

[chiller]

The Tohono O’odham Nation is 2.3 million acres....bordering the western edge of Tucson, and stretching north halfway to Phoenix. 73 miles border Mexico, with Hermosillo about 200 miles south. Puerto Penasco (Rocky Point) about 75 miles southwest.

While not near much more than barren desert this piece of the border could/would become a gateway, imho.

[Reily]

Pay the tribal police to set up a border patrol unit on the Mexican-Arizona border. Pay bounties based on number caught. They probably could use the money & the PR of being captured by “Indians” might have a chilling effect on border crossers.

Besides coyotes & cartels are probably paying the Indians now to be allowed to cross unmolested.

[LIConFem]

Illegals aren’t coming across the border onto their rez. They’re being pulled into the rez’s gravity well.