Last Updated on May 4, 2026
A centuries-old Native American archaeological site in southern Arizona was partially destroyed during construction of the U.S.-Mexico border wall, prompting outrage from Indigenous leaders, archaeologists and conservation groups.
The damage occurred within the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, where heavy machinery operated by a federal contractor cut through a large geoglyph—an ancient ground etching believed to be about 1,000 years old.
The formation, known as the Las Playas intaglio, stretched roughly 200 feet and resembled a fish, according to archaeologists familiar with the site.
Satellite imagery and on-the-ground assessments show that construction crews bulldozed a swath estimated at 60 to 70 feet across the center of the formation, damaging roughly a third of the cultural feature.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection acknowledged the incident, describing the damage as inadvertent and stating that the remaining portion of the site has since been secured while officials consult with tribal leaders.
The site lies within ancestral lands tied to the Tohono O’odham Nation and the Hia-Ced O’odham, communities that have long regarded the area as culturally and spiritually significant. Tribal members say the destruction represents not only the loss of an archaeological resource but a violation of sacred heritage.
“If someone came to Washington and started destroying sites people revere, it would be the same thing,” said Lorraine Marquez Eiler, a Hia-Ced O’odham elder, reflecting the depth of community grief.
The incident has also drawn renewed attention to earlier efforts by the O’odham to protect sacred sites from border infrastructure. During the first administration of Donald Trump, the Nation successfully resisted construction of the border wall across its reservation, preventing damage to both the Las Playas intaglio and a nearby sacred burial site.
The destruction comes amid an accelerated expansion of the border wall under a multibillion-dollar federal initiative aimed at extending barriers across parts of California, Arizona and New Mexico.
To expedite the project, the Department of Homeland Security has issued waivers allowing construction to bypass environmental and cultural protection laws that would typically require extensive review and consultation.
Critics argue those waivers have created conditions where significant Indigenous and ecological sites can be damaged or destroyed with limited oversight.
The incident has renewed broader concerns about the impact of border infrastructure on Indigenous lands. Conservationists and tribal advocates note that many culturally important locations—including burial grounds and sacred springs—remain in the path of ongoing construction.
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