Letter from the Chairman

On behalf of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, I invite you to join with us and other Alliance members as a charter member of the Tribal Border Alliance.

The Tribal Border Alliance was created in late 2018 with the primary goal to protect Native Nations’ sovereignty. With the ongoing debate over immigration and border security, we knew the time was right to come together as tribal communities to protect our important tribal cultures and traditions.

In January 2019, leaders of Indigenous Nations and tribes located on or near the international boundaries of Canada, Mexico, and Russia met on the Pascua Yaqui reservation to discuss issues surrounding border crossing by our tribal members and the need to facilitate the mobility of indigenous people, all the while ensuring the security of tribal lands and the United State The leaders from 40 tribes located across the United States that were in attendance participated in the development of a proposal that outlines several recommendations that address some of the legal aspects of indigenous border crossings and the need for further training for federal border officials in an effort to ensure unfettered access to tribal lands and culture.

During the National Congress of the American Indian 2019 Executive Council Winter Session in February, the Tribal Border Caucus met to further consider the original proposal. Many gave their thoughts and opinions, which were evaluated to include in the proposal. The Tribal Border Caucus met again October 2019 at the National Congress of the American Indian to discuss our progress and next steps in this important effort.

Plans are now underway to host the 2022 Tribal Border Summit Conference, to be held on October 19-20, 2022 in Tucson, AZ, at the Casino Del Sol Resort and Conference Center. The Alliance will continue to monitor the cases around Covid 19 and limit in person attendance.

For more information regarding the Tribal Border Alliance, please contact Shanti Gomez at (520) 879-6293 or Vivian Arandules at (520) 879-6238.

Lios Em Chiokoe Ut’tesia

Thank you,

Peter Yucupicio
Chairman
Pascua Yaqui Tribe