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JANUARY 12, 2001

Seeking to end problems for tribal members at the US-Mexico border, Representative Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ) on Thursday said he will sponsor a bill providing US citizenship for tribal members of the Tohono O'odham Nation who live in Mexico.

The Tohono O'odham Reservation spans the US-Mexico border in Arizona. Approximately 1,400 of the tribe's members live in Mexico.

Tribal members would like to be able to cross freely between the border for religious and social purposes. The tribe does have a program with the Immigration and Naturalization Service to issue 10 year visas to members who live in Mexico.

The tribe also has a unique relationship with the INS to patrol the reservation for illegal immigrants.

Get the Story:
Congressman says U.S. citizenship will solve Mexican O'odham members' woes (AP 1/11)