Congressman Raul Grijalva speaks on blasting Tohono O'odham sacred Monument hill

There is concern the new 30-foot border wall is threatening sacred burial sites in Monument hill at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.

SPEAKING OUT -- ABOUT THE NEW30- FOOT BORDER WALL AT ORGANPIPE CACTUS NATIONAL MONUMENT.HE'S CONCERNED CONTROLLEDBLASTING IS THREATENING SACREDBURIAL SITES.

THAT BLASTINGSTARTED LAST WEEK.CONGRESSMAN GRIJALVA SENT USTHESE PHOTOS AND VIDEO OF ATOUR -- LAST MONTH -- OFMONUMENT HILL.

WITH HIM ON THETOUR -- TOHONO O'ODHAM NATIONCHAIRMAN NED NORRIS.

GRIJALVATWEETING TODAY --- IN PART --HE WANTED TO SEE THE AREAFIRST HAND.

PRESIDENT TRUMPHAS WAIVED MORE THAN 40ENVIRONMENTAL -- NATURALRESOURCE -- AND LANDMANAGEMENT LAWS TO BUILD HISBORDER WALL.

COMMUNITIES ARESUFFERING FOR IT.

"THECONSISTENCY OF WHAT'S HAPPENEDTO PEOPLE WHO HAVE INHABITEDTHIS PART OF THE WORLD FOREVERAND MAINTAINING THEIR PRESENCEIS NOT JUST ABOUT IT'S ABOUT APHYSICAL HUMAN BEING IT'SABOUT THEIR VALUES AND THEIRSACRED SITES, BURIAL SITE.THAT'S THEIR IDENTITY IN THISPART OF THE WORLD." GRIJALVASAYS -- THE TRIBE TOLD HIM --THIS WAS A BURIAL SITE FOR THEHOHOKAM AROUND THE 17 TO 18HUNDREDS -- SOME OF THESE ROCKPILES ARE MORE THAN 2-THOUSAND YEARS OLD -- AND IT'SAN AREA USED FOR CEREMONIESAND DANCES.

CONGRESSMANGRIJALVA SAYS -- HE STILLHOPES IT'S NOT TOO LATE FORCREWS TO CHANGE COURSE.

AT THEEND OF THE MONTH -- GRIJALVAIS PART OF A COMMITTEE TO HEARIMPACTS ON BORDER WALLCONSTRUCTION.

KGUN NINE HASREACHED OUT TO CUSTOMS ANDBORDER PROTECTION ON THEBLASTS AND THE THREATS TOBURIAL SITES.IN A STATEMENT -- A C-B-PSPOKESPERSON SAYS IN PART --"U-S CUSTOMS AND BORDERPROTECTION WILL CONTINUE TOHAVE AN ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORPRESENT DURING THESEACTIVITIES -- AND THROUGHOUTCONSTRUCTION" ADDING -- "THEREARE NO PLANS TO CONSTRUCT NEWBORDER WALL ON THE TOHONOO'ODHAM NATION AT THIS TIME."