Cherokee Nation councilors support Tohono O'odham Nation

Seal of the Tohono O’odham Nation

By CHRISTINA GOOD VOICE
Senior Reporter

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Tribal Council unanimously approved a resolution at its Aug. 16 meeting supporting the Tohono O’odham Nation and Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona in their opposition to Arizona’s controversial immigration law.

The resolution, which passed 15-0, opposes Arizona Senate Bill 1070, which seeks to identify, prosecute and deport illegal immigrants. Councilors Jack Baker and Cara Cowan Watts were absent from the meeting.

SB 1070, considered the toughest immigration law in the United States, has sparked protests along with many national organizations, associations and even some cities approving boycotts of Arizona because of it.

“There are many Indian people in the state of Arizona who do not speak English, or whose first language is a Native language rather than English, who also do not have birth certificates or other documents indicating their citizenship in the United States and who are perhaps under a greater potential of being stopped and harassed on the basis of portions of this bill,” said Councilor Julia Coates, the resolution’s co-sponsor.

The resolution also supports the statement of TON Tribal Chairman Ned Norris Jr. in calling for a comprehensive federal address regarding border security and illegal migration rather than “piecemeal state regulations.”

The resolution also encourages entities engaging in economic boycotts of Arizona to limit the boycott to non-reservation and non-tribal businesses and to specifically support tribal enterprises within Arizona.

Citizens of the Tohono O’odham Nation protest the United States’ immigration and naturalization policy in this undated photo. The TON opposes Arizona’s new immigration laws, and the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council on Aug. 16 passed a resolution supporting the southwestern tribe in its fight. PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE PHOTOS

The TON has significant problems of drug trafficking across its lands, yet the tribe opposes SB 1070 because of concern that it allows state and county law enforcement officials to have the same power as federal officials on Indian lands, Coates said.

“Regardless of one’s position on the subject of immigration, the tribes in this country recognize that portions of this bill are problematic because they empower state and county officials to the same level as federal officials,” she said.

Councilor Chuck Hoskin Jr. said he appreciates Coates’ leadership on the issue.

“I was glad to join her as a sponsor,” he said. “SB 1070 raises all sorts of policy issues, if we were concerned and were having a debate about that.”

According to the resolution, SB 1070 will bring fear to Native Americans in Arizona because the bill fails to define “reasonable suspicion” and will lead to racial profiling, “which will disproportionately and negatively impact Native Americans in Arizona.”

Hoskin said other Indian nations have asked the CN for help regarding the issue.

“I think when that happens, the presumption is that we should help, unless there’s a real compelling reason not to,” he said. “I think in this case there’s a lot of compelling reasons to join them, to assist another nation. I think there’s good reason for us to speak out in support of our brothers and sisters in Arizona.”

In other business, councilors amended the tribe’s budget for fiscal year 2010, increasing it by more than $18 million. The increase brings the budget total to $649 million.

The amended budget includes increases to several programs, including the Housing Proceeds Fund for $96,887; the Federal Highway Administration Fund for more than $3 million related to additional IRR Program funding in the current year; the Department of Interior General Fund for $679,752, related to indirect costs of Sequoyah High School; and the DOI Self-Governance Fund for $829,752 related to a SHS transfer as well as a sub-grant to Cherokee Nation Businesses.

christina-goodvoice@cherokee.org • (918) 207-3825