Indigenous groups protest border wall impact on sacred sites

Border wall expansion projects between the United States and Mexico are facing criticism from indigenous communities over the potential destruction of sacred sites and cultural heritage.

In the Tecate and Tijuana region, the Kumiai people report that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has used explosives during construction works near Cerro Cuchumá. The community and civil organizations claim these actions have damaged archaeological vestiges and ceremonial spaces. In response, the Baja California Congress has issued an exhortation for the Mexican federal government to seek UNESCO World Heritage status for the mountain to protect its spiritual and historical value.

Simultaneously, the Tohono O’odham Nation is facing legal setbacks regarding a 62-mile stretch of double-layer steel and concrete wall near the Arizona and Sonora border. A U.S. federal judge ruled that construction can proceed within the Roosevelt Reservation corridor. The Tohono O’odham leadership argues the wall illegally invades their territory and disrupts traditional ceremonies and pilgrimages that span both sides of the border.