The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued an emergency injunction on August 18, blocking the Trump administration from handing Oak Flat over to a private mining company while three lawsuits challenging the land exchange proceed. Without the injunction, the public lands about 40 miles east of Phoenix were expected to be transferred to Resolution Copper, a subsidiary of multinational mining companies Rio Tinto and BHP.

The Trump administration wants to transfer more than 2,400 acres of federal public lands to Resolution Copper to facilitate construction of a massive copper mine. The mine would permanently destroy Oak Flat, a sacred site of tremendous spiritual importance to the San Carlos Apache Tribe and other Tribes in the region. It is a place that has special significance for many Native Americans; it is where they pray, collect water and medicinal plants for ceremonies, gather acorns and other foods, and honor those that are buried there. The federal lands to be exchanged, including Oak Flat, are also home to endangered and threatened species like ocelots and Arizona hedgehog cacti.

When President Trump lashed out at news of the injunction, Dr. Wendsler Nosie Sr. of Apache Stronghold responded: "Our nation cannot survive if we sacrifice what is sacred in pursuit of temporary profits. Today, President Trump said he wants to destroy our holy ground of Oak Flat so a foreign-owned corporation can send copper to China. Whether you’re Republican, Democrat, or neither, that is a terrible deal for the American people. But this fight is much bigger than politics or profit. This is a fight about our identity as a nation. Do we respect religious freedom? Will we safeguard our environment for our children and grandchildren? Or will we sacrifice it all for corporate greed?"

Apache Stronghold Responds to Trump: Federal Court Injunction Blocks Land Exchange | Federal Appeals Court Blocks Oak Flat Land Exchange in Arizona

See Also: Apache Stronghold Filing Case at Supreme Court on Wed., Sept. 11, 2024 | Apache Stronghold Heads East on Prayer Journey to Supreme Court | Running to the Apache Stronghold: Honoring the Ancestors at Oak Flat | Call to Action: Virtual Rally for Sacred Site of Oak Flat w/ Apache Stronghold | Apaches Standing Strong to Defend Sacred Oak Flat from Mining