Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights

October 29, 2026

Live Flight: US Drone Surveillance over Tohono O'odham Nation and Southern Border

By Brenda Norrell, Censored News, Oct. 29, 2026

LIVE FLIGHT Thursday at 6 am: This drone is now quickly going back and forth over the Tohono O'odham Nation and southern border. It comes after a day of disturbing helicopter surveillance by the army and US Border Patrol out of Tucson circling above the area of the prayer camp near San Miguel Gate on the Tohono O'odham Nation.

October 28, 2026

Dine' Rush to Help Their Neighbors After Catastrophic Flooding

Dine' Rush to Help Their Neighbors After Catastrophic Flooding

Photo courtesy Bluff, Utah Arts Festival

By Brenda Norrell, Censored News, Oct. 29, 2026

It wasn't the tribal governments, or non-profits, it was the Dine', the Strong Hearts, that fed their neighbors, dug horses and donkeys out of the mud, and paddled in canoes to reach their families. It was the Dine', the Big Hearts, that rushed to the front after catastrophic flooding.

"I witnessed a true outpouring of K’é today," said Aneth, Utah Chapter Dr. Carma Claw, PhD. "Our Navajo families and neighbors showing up for one another. Thank you to every volunteer who worked tirelessly throughout the night and the day,"

Tohono O'odham Nation Under Surveillance: The U.S. Out of Control




Tohono O'odham Nation Under Surveillance: 
The U.S. Out of Control

By Brenda Norrell, Censored News, Oct. 28, 2026

LIVE FLIGHT: This US Border Patrol helicopter is circling in surveillance above the Tohono O'odham Nation, between Sells and the San Miguel Gate at the border. Now, local time is 3:30 pm, on Wednesday. O'odham report two semi trucks loaded with border wall panels were sneaking through a remote area of tribal land at 10:25 pm on Monday night.

During the National Congress of American Indians annual convention last week, NCAI passed a resolution opposing the border wall and the intrusion onto the sovereign Tohono O'odham Nation, pointing out the violations of duties and federal laws that the U.S. is violating. Federal laws protecting burial places and eagles are among the laws being violated.

NCAI's resolution states that BIA police failed in their duties when BIA police escorted in border wall contractors on the Nation, who immediately began drilling in August. US Border Patrol special ops BORTAC were in the gang of masked and armed federal agents who took control of the Tohono O'odham Nation at the border. They prevented tribal police from entering their own sovereign nation to issue citations and remove construction crews.

Here in the Sonoran Desert, the US plans to drill water wells, and take over tribal land for construction sites while building the double wall. The US Homeland Security and US Border Patrol ignored a federal judge's order to consult and coordinate with the tribe before proceeding.

The US plans to destroy 2,000 of the protected Saguaro here before it begins building the wall on Dec. 1, 2026, the Tohono O'odham Nation said.


This army helicopter out of Tucson circled over the Tohono O'odham Nation, near San Miguel Gate, south of the capitol of Sells, this afternoon around 2 pm. and is now returning to Tucson. A US Border Patrol helicopter is now there.

Border Patrol agents said earlier that the prayer camp at San Miguel Gate would be removed and our people there could be “manhandled," the tribe said.

Reporter John Carlos Frey said that Border Patrol stormed the Tohono O’odham prayer camp with rifles raised while families slept inside during October.

While Homeland Security says it has a right to build the wall 60 feet from the border, the tribe said it knows the destruction of building the double border wall will extend further and destroy mountains and peaks.

The Court of Appeals in Washington will rule soon on an emergency order to stop Homeland Security, the Tohono O'odham Legislative Council said.

Read more at Censored News:

Alert: Trucks with Border Wall Panels on the Tohono O'odham Nation

National Congress of American Indians, NCAI, Battles Border Wall

The US Threatens Destruction of San Miguel Camp


Copyright Brenda Norrell, Censored News


October 27, 2026

Alert: Trucks with Border Wall Panels on Tohono O'odham Nation

 Alert: Trucks with Border Wall Panels on Tohono O'odham Nation


By Censored News, Oct. 27, 2026

Alert: Two semi trucks loaded with metal border wall panels were on the Tohono O'odham Nation at 10:25 pm on Monday night.

O'odham report: "The semi trucks were south bound on reservation road 15, south of the nursing home facility. Both trucks with long beds loaded with metal panels as seen at the Eloy manufacturing site. Not known if the trucks turned west towards the west side of the reservation, or east towards Sells."

Manufacturers of border wall panels are located in Eloy, Arizona, where a massive prison complex incarcerates people of color. Courtesy photo for Censored News.

Breaking News please check back for updates.

Armed federal agents prevented Tohono O'odham Nation Police from entering their own sovereign nation to issue citations of trespass to border wall construction crews, who immediately began drilling in August. This violated a federal judge's order for Homeland Security and Border Patrol to consult and co-ordinate with the tribe before proceeding. Masked and armed federal agents, including the Border Patrol's special ops, took control of the Tohono O'odham Nation's region at the southern border in violation of federal law. Photo Tohono O'odham Nation.

The National Congress of American Indian's resolution opposing the border wall points out the BIA failed in its duty when it sent federal agents to the Tohono O'odham Nation. The resolution lists the federal laws being violated, including laws protecting burial places and eagles. The resolution was passed at NCAI's annual convention last week.

Previous article at Censored News: NCAI Battles Border Wall.
https://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2026/10/ncai-battles-border-wall-tohono-oodham.html

Copyright Censored News

October 25, 2026

Catastrophic Flooding on Navajo Nation, Hopi Nation and in New Mexico

Catastrophic Flooding on Navajo Nation,  Hopi Nation and in New Mexico

Shiprock, New Mexico, on the Navajo Nation devastated on Friday by flooding as the San Juan River overflowed after heavy rains.  Photo Navajo Police Department.


New Mexico National Guard Rescues Infant Near Chaco Canyon Amid Severe Weather and Washed-Out Roads: "New Mexico National Guard Community Emergency Response Team personnel successfully evacuated an infant experiencing repeated seizures near Chaco Canyon overnight Oct. 22–23 after severe weather washed out roads and prevented aviation assets from reaching the residence." The infant had 12 seizures before being rescued.

Flooding in Hopi's Moenkopi Village. Watch video:
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1146205998137944

The Navajo Nation Department of Transportation said due to the increase of water levels at San Juan River Bridge, on Highway 160, near the Arizona and Colorado border, at 7:35 AM on Sunday, October 25, the bridge remains closed.

Mexican Water Chapter reports a road closure today, Sunday, near the Arizona and Utah border, at the North end of Road 415 near US Hwy 191 N, due to water erosion. 



Dramatic search and rescue efforts by first responders descending from helicopters  underway in Bloomfield on the Navajo Nation, south of Farmington, New Mexico.




The San Juan River overflowing in Shiprock on the Navajo Nation on Friday.


Red Mesa Road in Red Mesa, Arizona, on the Navajo Nation between Kayenta and Farmington flooded on Friday. Photo Navajo Police Department.

By Brenda Norrell, Censored News, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026

Updates on our Facebook page: Navajo Nation in Utah hit hard, road closures in Apache County in Arizona and more.
https://www.facebook.com/brenda.norrell.90/

The Navajo Nation Police Department warned of rising water in the San Juan River in Utah this morning at 5 a.m., as catastrophic flooding continues with helicopter evacuations on the Navajo Nation and far reaching flooding in New Mexico.

October 24, 2026

NCAI Battles Border Wall: Tohono O'odham Chairman Speaks out for Warriors on the Frontline

NCAI Battles Border Wall: Tohono O'odham Chairman Speaks out for Warriors on the Frontline 


Screenshot from Tohono O'odham Nation video.

They want to murder our relatives, Saguaro. We're not going to allow them to do that. -- Tohono O'odham Chairman Verlon Jose

By Brenda Norrell, Censored News, Oct. 24, 2026

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. -- Tohono O'odham Chairman Verlon Jose told the National Congress of American Indians that the U.S. government plans to murder O'odham relatives, the Saguaro, which have personhood.

During his presentation on a panel on sacred lands, Chairman Jose described efforts to stop the monstrous border wall from being constructed and gave priority to their court case and warriors on the frontline.

"Right now, we have warriors on the front line -- right now. We have warriors on the front line and they said, 'We're going to do what we do best, and that is prayer. We're not protesting, we're here in prayer, and we believe our prayer is strong."