New Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff is making his first visit to the U.S.-Mexico border but he won't be stopping at the Tohono O'odham Nation, whose resources have been drained as a result of dealing with drug smuggling, migrants and other border-crossing issues

"I'm tired of being ignored," Tohono O'odham Chairwoman Vivian Juan-Saunders told The Tucson Citizen.

Juan-Saunders said the federal government is doing little to help address problems related to border-crossings, including deaths of migrants and seizures of thousands of pounds of illegal drugs. "We have so many needs here on the Nation," she said, "and yet we spend $7 million annually to do their job."

Chertoff is planning to visit other border-area communities but Juan-Saunders said, "He needs to see this for himself."

Get the Story:
U.S. chief of security angers O'odham leader (The Tucson Citizen 5/4)
Homeland Security chief to accompany Arizona's senators on visit to border (The Arizona Republic 5/4)

Related Stories:
Chase results in death on Tohono O'odham Nation (03/03)
Tribal actions in border-crossing case upheld (02/03)
Shadow Wolves training border guards overseas (10/06)
Some Tohono O'odham say no to border barriers (07/21)
Tohono O'odham Nation dealing with border 'crisis' (04/13)
Tohono O'odham Nation dealing with years of neglect (03/22)
Environmental woes plague Tohono O'odham Nation (03/04)
Tohono O'odham Nation in line for border security funds (02/18)
Tohono O'odham Nation to press for citizenship bill (02/04)
Opinion: Pass Tohono O'odham citizenship bill (05/05)
A third of O'odham tribal members lack papers (04/30)
Testimony at border hearing filled with complaints (03/11)
Tohono O'odham Nation hosts border issues hearing (3/10)
Ariz. congressman makes tribe a priority (02/20)
O'odham citizenship bill reintroduced (02/13)
Aid to border crossers criticized (09/26)
Tribe seizes 300 pounds of drugs daily (9/25)
Mexican migrants stress tribal hospitals (9/24)
Four bodies recovered on Ariz. reservation (8/30)
Tribe sees double standard on border (8/12)
Mexico's President invites tribal leaders (8/05)
Changes sought in U.S. border policy (6/18)
Ariz. tribe wrests with border issue (6/13)
Ariz. tribal pastor claims intimidation (6/11)
Border arrests increase on reservation (6/7)
Ariz. tribe pushes citizenship bill (6/4)
Bush announces Mexican border plan (3/22)
Tribal members fear border harassment (11/26)
Tough border policy rejects Mexicans (10/2)
Machines not ready for tough border policy (10/1)
Border policy could affect Tohono O'odham (9/27)
Tohono O'odham elder dies (8/29)
O'odham citizenship bill pushed (6/29)
O'odham delegation on way to D.C. (5/31)
Tribe protests border policies (5/29)
Citizenship for Mexican O'odham sought (1/12)