Lawsuit Escalates as Arizona Tribe Seeks Injunction Against New Border Wall Construction

The Tohono O’odham Nation cites sacred sites, ecological harm, and legal limits on federal authority in a bid to halt the project.

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection vehicle patrols along the U.S.-Mexico border in Nogales, Ariz., on Sept. 17, 2025. Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images

The Tohono O’odham Nation is asking a federal court to halt construction of border wall segments across 62 miles of its Arizona reservation, arguing the project would cause irreparable cultural and environmental harm.

The motion for a preliminary injunction was filed June 17 in Washington, one day after the tribe brought a lawsuit challenging the project and seeking to stop construction while the case moves forward.