A Line in the SandA Line in the Sand

The Story of the Tohono O’odhamThe Story of the Tohono O’odham

By Jake McDonaldBy Jake McDonaldNative Geographies 322Native Geographies 322

UW-Eau ClaireUW-Eau Claire

Tohono O’odhamTohono O’odham

• Means “Desert People”– Also known as the Papago

• Live in the Sonoran Desert in what is now Arizona and Sonora (Mexico)

• Lived in two types of villages

– Around the rivers during the growing season

– In the mountains during the winter

www.itcaonline.com/tribes_tohono.html

Desert LivingDesert Living

All knowledge on how to use All knowledge on how to use the meager desert resources the meager desert resources to their advantage passed to their advantage passed down through the generationsdown through the generations

During the growing season, During the growing season, grew corn and gathered native grew corn and gathered native plantsplants

During the winter hunted for During the winter hunted for deer in the mountains and deer in the mountains and gathered what they couldgathered what they could

www.heard.org/rain/cultura2/raincul6.html

Mexico in 1836Mexico in 1836

In 1836, Mexico In 1836, Mexico controlled controlled present-day present-day Arizona, Arizona, California, New California, New Mexico, Texas, Mexico, Texas, and parts of and parts of Colorado, Colorado, Nevada, and UtahNevada, and Utah

www.azstarnet.com/tohono/nationmaps.html

Texas – Or the reason the U.S. Texas – Or the reason the U.S. procured 55% of Mexican Territoryprocured 55% of Mexican Territory

In 1836, Texas declares In 1836, Texas declares independence from independence from MexicoMexico

In 1845, U.S. annexes In 1845, U.S. annexes Texas and immediately Texas and immediately send troops there to send troops there to protect the borderprotect the border

One year later in May One year later in May of 1846, U.S. declares of 1846, U.S. declares war on Mexicowar on Mexico

http://home.sandiego.edu/~villegas/

U.S.-Mexican WarU.S.-Mexican War

For the next two years fighting For the next two years fighting ensued between the U.S. and Mexicoensued between the U.S. and Mexico

General Taylor, of the U.S., led his General Taylor, of the U.S., led his troops to Montereytroops to Monterey

While General Stephen Kearny went While General Stephen Kearny went to New Mexico, Chihuahua, and to New Mexico, Chihuahua, and CaliforniaCalifornia

Treaty of Guadalupe HidalgoTreaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

In 1847, General In 1847, General Winfield Scott captured Winfield Scott captured the capitol of Mexico, the capitol of Mexico, Mexico CityMexico City

This was the final This was the final decisive battle in the decisive battle in the Mexican- American Mexican- American WarWar

A few months later in 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo A few months later in 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed giving the U.S. present-day Arizona, California, New was signed giving the U.S. present-day Arizona, California, New Mexico, Texas, and parts of Colorado, Nevada, and UtahMexico, Texas, and parts of Colorado, Nevada, and Utah

www.nps.gov/paal/treatymap.htm

Southern Transcontinental Railroad Southern Transcontinental Railroad

A man by the name of A man by the name of James Gadsden had a James Gadsden had a dream of a Southern dream of a Southern Transcontinental Railroad Transcontinental Railroad that would make the west that would make the west coast dependent on the coast dependent on the South instead of the South instead of the NorthNorth

The land that he wanted The land that he wanted was made available by was made available by the Treaty of Guadalupe-the Treaty of Guadalupe-HidalgoHidalgo

The railroad would go The railroad would go through southern Arizona through southern Arizona but they still needed but they still needed more landmore land

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/map_item.pl

A Nation DividedA Nation Divided In 1854, Mexico sold the U.S. a tract of land of what is now In 1854, Mexico sold the U.S. a tract of land of what is now

southern Arizona.southern Arizona.

The Gadsden Purchase, as it would be called, divided the Tohono The Gadsden Purchase, as it would be called, divided the Tohono O’odham nation in two, half on the U.S. side and half on the O’odham nation in two, half on the U.S. side and half on the Mexican sideMexican side

www.azstarnet.com/tohono/nationmaps.html

Federal Recognition

In 1937 the U.S. Government formally recognizes the Tohono O’odham (Papago) in Arizona as a federal reservation

Tohono O’odham living on both sides of the border are included in the membership of the tribe.

Using tribal membership cards, Tohono O’odham peoples easily cross the U.S.-Mexican border to visit their relatives and continue their traditional lifeways.

Problems BeginProblems Begin

In 1986, drug laws became much In 1986, drug laws became much stricter and the border between the stricter and the border between the U.S. and Mexico became more heavily U.S. and Mexico became more heavily guarded.guarded.

Tohono O’odham people started to get Tohono O’odham people started to get harassed when they tried to cross from harassed when they tried to cross from Mexico to the U.S. to visit their families Mexico to the U.S. to visit their families or to receive medical aid. or to receive medical aid.

Operation Gatekeeper Political pressure forced the creation of

Operation Gatekeeper, in 1994, to help control the number of undocumented immigrants entering the U.S.

Both American and Mexican Tohono O’odham are also harassed and often not allowed entry because of the initiative

Legal Gates

www.azstarnet.com/tohono/

No Proof The Immigration and Nationality Act of

1952 stated that anyone with a birth certificate stating that they were born in the U.S. are U.S. citizens

Many Tohono O’odham cannot prove that they were born in the U.S. (or were not born in the U.S.) and so have a very difficult time getting into Arizona, despite the original promises of the federal government

Tribal Membership = Border Pass

• In 2003, an initiative was introduced to the U.S. House of Representatives to make all Tohono O’odham (no matter where they were born) U.S. citizens.

• This initiative would save the Tohono O’odham over $100,000 a year that they spend getting their Mexican members passports to cross into the U.S.

Tohono O’odham Citizenship Act of 2003

To render all enrolled members of the Tohono O'odham Nation citizens of the United States as of the date of their enrollment and to recognize the valid membership credential of the Tohono O'odham Nation as the legal equivalent of a certificate of citizenship or a State-issued birth certificate for all Federal purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

Tohono O’odham Citizenship Act, cont.

SEC. 2. NATURALIZATION FOR TOHONO O'ODHAM. (a) IN GENERAL- Chapter 2 of title III of the Immigration and Nationality

Act (8 U.S.C. 1421 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 322 the following:

`enrolled members of tohono o'odham nation `SEC. 323. (a) GRANTING OF CITIZENSHIP- A person who is listed on

the official membership roll of the Tohono O'odham Nation, a federally recognized American Indian nation located in Arizona, is a citizen of the United States as of the date on which such listing occurs.

`(b) NO DERIVATIVE BENEFITS TO RELATIVES- Nothing in this section shall be construed as providing for any benefit under this Act for any spouse, son, daughter, or other relative of a person granted citizenship under this section.'.

(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT- The table of contents of the Immigration and Nationality Act is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 322 the following new item:

`Sec. 323. Enrolled members of Tohono O'odham Nation.'.

Tohono O’odham Citizenship Act, Cont.

SEC. 3. TREATMENT OF TRIBAL MEMBERSHIP CREDENTIAL.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the valid membership credential issued to a person who is listed on the official membership roll of the Tohono O'odham Nation pursuant to the laws of the Tohono O'odham Nation shall be considered, for all purposes subject to Federal law, equivalent to--

(1) a certificate of citizenship issued under section 341(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1452(a)) to persons who satisfy the requirements of such section; and

(2) a State-issued birth certificate.

The Fight for CitizenshipThe Fight for Citizenship About 8,400 Tohono About 8,400 Tohono

O’odham who were O’odham who were born in Mexico or born in Mexico or cannot prove they were cannot prove they were born in the U.S. are born in the U.S. are affected by this affected by this problemproblem

The man in the picture The man in the picture is just one of many is just one of many Tohono O’odham to Tohono O’odham to have served in the have served in the United States Military United States Military and yet cannot prove and yet cannot prove he is a citizen of the he is a citizen of the U.S.U.S.

www.public.asu.edu/~kmadsen/toci/toci.html

More ProblemsMore Problems

Every year almost 5 million pounds of Every year almost 5 million pounds of trash are left on the reservation lands trash are left on the reservation lands by illegal immigrants by illegal immigrants ((www.kold.com/global/story.asp?swww.kold.com/global/story.asp?s

=1029934&ClientType=Printable=1029934&ClientType=Printable www.kold.com/global/story.asp?swww.kold.com/global/story.asp?s=1029934&ClientType=Printable=1029934&ClientType=Printable))

Tohono O’odham people are trying to Tohono O’odham people are trying to get the U.S. government at all levels to get the U.S. government at all levels to help clean up the mess, but so far have help clean up the mess, but so far have had no luckhad no luck

Drug SmugglersDrug Smugglers Every year thousands of Every year thousands of

pounds of drugs are pounds of drugs are smuggled into the U.S. smuggled into the U.S. through the Tohono through the Tohono O’odham Reservation O’odham Reservation and the tribe can do and the tribe can do nothing to stop itnothing to stop it

The border fences are The border fences are crushed or pushed over crushed or pushed over and many farmers lose and many farmers lose their cattle through the their cattle through the smuggler holes. smuggler holes.

((www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2003-08-06-indian-drugs-usat_xwww.usatoday.com/news/nation/2003-08-06-indian-drugs-usat_x.htm.htm

))

Marijuanawww.cananews.com/undcp/images/marijuana.jpg

methamphetamine www.castitas.com/images/3_meth_different.jpg

Latest Developments

• Recently the EPA gave the Tohono O’odham a $50,000 grant to help with the illegal dumping on their lands

• Illegal immigrants are still going through Tohono O’odham lands, though 9/11 slowed the river of migrants down (because of increased U.S. security) there are still a reported 700 to 1000 daily

Is the opposite of Progress, Congress?

• The Tohono O’odham Citizenship Act, though it would help over 8,000 tribal members, has stalled in the U.S. House of Representatives.

• The fate of the Tohono O’odham is in the hands of politicians who have a record of not caring about Indigenous peoples

• Please contact your congressman to try and help make all Tohono O’odham become U.S. citizens

For More Information

• The Handbook of American Indians: Volume Ten

• The Tohono O’odham Nation http://personal.riverusers.com/~storypower/pages/TOK.html

• Tohono O’odham Citizenship Act,108:H.R. 731 http://thomas.loc.gov

• Nation Divided, www.azstarnet.com/tohono/index.html

• Drugs invade via Indian Lands, www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2003-08-06-indian-drugs-usat_x.htm

• The Tohono O’odham, www.hrusa.org/indig/reports/Tohono.htm

For Even More Information• The Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, www.loc.gov/exhibits/ghtreaty/

• Mexican War, www.dean.usma.edu/history/web03/atlases/mexican%20war/mexican%20war%20index.htm

• Territory Transferred in the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, www.nps.gov/paal/treatymap.htm

• The Santa Fe Route and connections, 1888, http://memory.loc.gov/

• The Gadsden Purchase: Odd Land Deal, www.progress.org/gads.htm

• Operation Gatekeeper: New Resources, Enhanced results, http://uscis.gov/graphics/publicaffairs/factsheets/opgatefs.htm

• Briefing on Tragedy Along the Arizona-Mexico Border: Undocumented Immigrants Face the Desert, www.nbpc.net/news/archive/december2001/batter.html