A benefits claimant has said people can struggle to find work because they cannot find jobs they consider ‘meaningful’. 

Gigi El-Halaby made the comments during a discussion about why unemployment persists, particularly among people receiving Personal Independence Payment (PIP). 

Speaking to Simon Marks on LBC, Ms El-Halaby said one of the issues she had encountered was the availability of jobs that were suitable for her circumstances. 

She said: ‘A really big one is that jobs need to be meaningful, and it can’t just be put into any work.

‘I think work can be good for your mental health and bad work can be really terrible for it.’

Mr Marks responded, saying many people work in jobs they do not consider meaningful.

He said: ‘I can hear listeners saying I go to work every day. I don’t find my job particularly meaningful,’ adding that society could not create only jobs that every employee considered meaningful.

Ms El-Halaby agreed that not every job could be meaningful to every worker, but said the issue was different when trying to help people who were mentally unwell. 

Simon Marks (pictured) challenged the idea that work needs to be meaningful, pointing out that many people work simply to earn a wage and pay their bills

She added: ‘If we’re talking about getting people who are mentally unwell to a better place, ultimately finding meaning and purpose in their life is going to be a really important part to get them out of that hole.’

She also said employers needed to consider whether workplaces were accessible to individual workers.

She said: ‘I’ve been in many workplace environments where it has not been accessible for me.

‘Ultimately, for example, working in Boots is not an accessible job for me. And for some people, it will be.’

The comments come as the Government increases its focus on moving people receiving benefits towards employment.

The Government’s Jobs Guarantee began placing eligible young people into paid work this year. 

The scheme is available to 18 to 24-year-olds who have been claiming Universal Credit and looking for work for 18 months, with the Government funding up to 25 hours of paid work a week for six months.

The Government says more than 90,000 jobs are expected to be created by 2029.

PIP, or Personal Independence Payment, is a benefit for people aged 16 or over with a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability that makes it difficult to carry out certain everyday activities or get around.

Her comments come as the Government seeks to move more people receiving benefits towards employment, including through its Jobs Guarantee for young people

The interim Timms Review, published in July, received more than 38,000 responses, with 90% reporting negative experiences. It examined concerns about the benefit and its assessment process. Pictured is Sir Stephen Timms 

It is designed to help with the extra living costs associated with a disability or long-term health condition. 

It has separate daily living and mobility components, and eligibility is based on how a person’s condition affects them rather than simply whether they are employed. People can receive PIP while working or having savings.  

In an interview with LBC last month, Ms El-Halaby said: ‘I have been receiving PIP for a year and a half. I have struggled with ill mental and physical health since I was nine years old.

‘It came to a head after I got a COVID infection, and I was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, and I also have IBS and a bunch of other psychiatric disorders.’

The government published the interim report of the Timms review on July 9 last month, the first full review of PIP since 2013.

It heard from over 38,000 people, 90 per cent of whom described negative experiences, and concluded the benefit is not fit for purpose and the assessments ‘dehumanising’, ‘degrading’ and ‘stressful’.

The number of young people classed as NEET (not in education, employment or training) has risen to 981,000, according to the latest official figures.

The total for the three months to June was 30,000 higher than a year earlier, although it fell from just over one million at the start of 2026. 

The figure represents 13 per cent, or around one in eight, of all 16 to 24-year-olds.

The number of NEETs has risen by 61,000 from 920,000 in the second quarter of 2024, shortly before Labour came to power. 

The figures come as concerns grow over Britain’s youth jobs market, with Prime Minister Andy Burnham describing youth unemployment as a ‘top priority’ and saying it had been ‘ignored for too long’. 

In the full clip posted by LBC, Ms El-Halaby said: ‘Issues I think have come up for me. And a really big one is that jobs need to be meaningful, and it can’t just be put into any work. I think work can be good for your mental health and bad work can be really terrible for it.

Marks responded: I can hear lots of listeners out there saying, I go to work every day. I don’t find my job particularly meaningful.

‘And I’m sure they’re sorry about the fact that they don’t find their job particularly meaningful, but they go to work, they earn a wage, they come home, they pay their bills, they pay their tax. 

‘I mean, unfortunately, it is not possible for a society to create only jobs that every employee finds to be meaningful.

El-Halaby replied: ‘Sure, okay, so I do agree with that, but if we’re talking about getting people who are mentally unwell to a better place, ultimately finding meaning and purpose in their life is going to be a really important part to get them out of that hole. 

‘And not only that, we need to think about the workplace environment. I’ve been in many workplace environments where it has not been accessible for me. Ultimately, for example, working in boots is not an accessible job for me. And for some people, it will be.

The Tywi Valley Path in Carmarthenshire opened earlier this year and now you can explore it in a whole new way

People are being invited to discover the beauty and history of a stunning Welsh valley from next month as Carmarthenshire Council launches the Tywi Valley Path Festival of Walks.

The path opened fully earlier this year having been in the offing for a decade. It now connects Abergwili on the edge of Carmarthen with the town of Llandeilo, weaving its way through miles of beautiful countryside and offering views of landmarks including Paxton Tower and Dryslwyn Castle.

Starting on September 16, the council’s tourism development team will launch its latest initiative to encourage residents and visitors to enjoy the £18m path. Stay informed on Carms news by signing up to our newsletter here.

The two-week programme of guided walks intends to showcase the route’s stunning landscapes, rich heritage and diverse wildlife while promoting the path as a key recreational and tourism asset for Carmarthenshire.

Supported by Walters Group, who were contracted to install the landmark bridges across the Tywi and Cothi rivers, the festival offers a unique opportunity to explore the path.

Designed for walkers of all abilities and interests, the programme includes wildlife experiences, creative walking workshops, heritage tours and Nordic walking sessions, led by expert guides and local organisations.

The different walks on offer are listed below:

• September 16 – West Wales Wild Watch Session (Nantgaredig)
• September 17 – Weave and Walk with Quiet Walks (Llandeilo)
• September 20 – Castles and Gardens Walk with Karsten Minter
• September 21 and 27 – Nordic Walking with Nordic Cymru
• September 26 – A Tale of Two Rivers
• October 4 – Guided Walk of Golden Grove Parkland

“The Tywi Valley Path Festival of Walks is a wonderful opportunity to discover one of Carmarthenshire’s most scenic walking routes and the heritage, wildlife and stories that make it so special,” said councillor Hazel Evans, Carmarthenshire Council’s cabinet member for regeneration, leisure, culture and tourism.

“We’re delighted to offer a varied programme for all abilities and are grateful to Walters Group for supporting the festival and helping improve access along the route through the construction of the landmark bridges.”

For more information and for bookings, contact Carmarthenshire Council.

Peter and Helen Doyle were ordered to carry out a combined 200 hours of unpaid work for their neglect of Cockapoos Poppy and Henry.

A couple have been banned from keeping animals after causing “prolonged suffering” for two dogs as a result of “extreme matting”.

Inspectors from the Scottish SPCA were called to Peter and Helen Doyle’s home in Shetland in November 2025 after the condition of their two Cockapoos was reported to the charity’s Animal Helpline.

The dogs, Poppy and Henry, had become so badly matted that their mobility and vision were left impaired. A vet concluded that their welfare had been “seriously compromised” and that it had taken “a number of months” for their coats to become so bad.

Both dogs were taken into the care of the SSPCA and shaved to relieve their suffering. Poppy’s fur was the worse of the two and her whole body was described as “in a terrible state”.

When inspectors visited the Doyle’s home, Poppy kept rubbing herself on the floor and against the Inspector as if she was uncomfortable. One mat was found to be completely covering her left eye and it took more than an hour to remove all 1.5kgs of her matted fur.

Once the mat was removed from her eye, the vet noted that the surrounding skin was wet and stained brown with filth. She was also prescribed a steroid and antibiotic cream for her infected and inflamed skin.

Had the SSPCA not intervened, Henry’s coat would have also ended up considerably worse like Poppy’s. He was also shaved.

Both dogs were taken into the care of the SSPCA for their welfare and transported to the charity’s Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre in Inverness for further care and treatment. Both have since gone on to find their forever homes.

The Doyles were handed a two-year ban on owning and keeping animals at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday, August 26 after neglecting to deal with their dogs extreme matting, causing prolonged suffering.

Peter Doyle was also ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work, while Helen Doyle was ordered to do 80 hours of unpaid work.

The SSPCA inspector said: “Peter and Helen Doyle could see how poor a condition both Poppy and Henry were in and still did not seek help. It would have taken a considerable amount of time for them to get to this state and it is evident by how matted their coats both were that no effort was made to prevent or resolve their suffering.

“Any responsible owner should research the breed they are considering taking on and consider whether they can meet its needs. Cockapoos require to be brushed several times a week and receive regular grooming approximately every six to eight weeks.

“In Poppy and Henry’s case, they did not even receive the bare minimum of care. I am glad that we have sought justice for them.”

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Sir Kevin will stop in York during his final ‘7 in 7’ challenge in September, in which he will try to complete an ultra-marathon every day for seven days.

It will be Sir Kevin’s seventh endurance challenges, having been inspired by former Leeds Rhinos team-mate Rob Burrow who died in 2024 after living with MND for four-and-a-half years.

Kevin Sinfield and Rob Burrow who died last year aged 41 (Image: Danny Lawson/PA Wire)

Sir Kevin, 45, who was knighted in June, will finish in York on the second day of the challenge on Monday, September 28.

He will run to York from Shiptonthorpe, near Market Weighton, after arriving in the East Yorkshire village from Hull.

Sir Kevin and his team will depart Shiptonthorpe for Bishopthorpe Palace on September 28, calling at the University of York, LNER Community Stadium for a visit to newly-promoted York Knights, then passing York Minster and York Racecourse on their way to the finish line at the palace.

Kevin Sinfield and his team passing Skelton as they entered York in November 2022 (Image: Kris Brown, The Press Camera Club)

In a letter to supporters ahead of the challenge, Sir Kevin said: “Every card, message, hug and handshake has fuelled us to do more and go even further in our fight against MND.

“To everyone who has turned out to support us, anyone who has donated, shared a message, told us their story, or given their time to volunteer – thank you.”

He said: “Seven years ago this December my friend and Leeds Rhinos teammate Rob Burrow CBE was diagnosed with motor neurone disease. In that moment, as anyone who has been affected by MND will tell you, life changed in an instant for him and his loved ones.

“While Rob and his incredible family; his adoring wife Lindsey, their three wonderful children and his parents Geoff, who we have since sadly lost, and Irene bravely came to terms with his diagnosis, his friends, teammates, colleagues and the wider Rugby League community were determined to make a difference.”

Recommended reading:

Sir Kevin, who has raised more than £11 million for the MND community, was at York Racecourse last week for the Ebor Festival, which saw 17 runners compete in the ‘Sir Kevin Sinfield 7 In 7 Grand Finale Handicap’.

When asked how his training compared to 18-year rugby league career, Sir Kevin said: “It’s different, I don’t get hit any more!

Kevin Sinfield at York Racecourse on Thursday, August 20 (Image: Richard Sellers/PA Wire)

“The rugby stuff, that I did for so long, is you’re coping with the contact. This is a different type of pain.”

He added: “We’ve got a wonderful team and I think when you’ve seen the impact, the awareness and the funds that have been raised for the families that are in such need, then we haven’t got time to be tired.

“We’ve got to keep going, we’ve got to keep fighting and keep trying to pull people together to help. I get enough rest, don’t worry.”

Jaime Lomas, 26, was gunned down in the US state of Washington last week, with his death now being treated as a homicide with major crimes detectives called in

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A 26-year-old Briton has died in the US after being shot multiple times, local police confirmed, with a murder inquiry now launched in the wake of his untimely death.

Jamie Thomas Stephen Lomas was shot multiple times at a residential property in Lake Youngs, Washington State, last Saturday (August 22), the King County medical examiner has now confirmed.

The Manchester man’s death is now also being treated as a homicide, with officers from the King County Sheriff’s Office handing over its investigation to detectives from Seattle’s major crimes unit. Lake Youngs in located about 17 miles out of the city, which is the largest in the state.

No arrests have yet been made in connection to Lomas’ murder.

A King County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson said: “On August 22, at about 12:20pm, King County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to a domestic disturbance that had occurred at a residence located on the 23000 block of 156 Ave SE.

“Deputies arrived and secured the scene. No arrests at this time and this remains an active investigation by our major crimes detectives,” the King County spokesperson added.

The UK Foreign Office has confirmed it is providing support to the man’s family during this distressing period, and remains in contact with local authorities as the investigation progresses.

Meanwhile, Lomas’ devastated family have paid tribute to their beloved son online and are working tirelessly to repatriate Jamie’s body, so that his loved ones can say a proper farewell. “It is with the heaviest of hearts that we are asking for your help to bring our Jamie home from America to Manchester,” reads the statement, shared via an online fundraiser set up to cover the costs of repatriating his body.

“Jamie was only 26 years old. He was a loving family man, deeply loved by everyone who knew him. He had so much life ahead of him, and we just cannot believe that we are having to say goodbye to him,” the online statement reads.

“Jamie was tragically murdered in America, and our family has been left completely heartbroken, struggling to come to terms with such a devastating sudden loss.

“We never imagined we would be in a position where we would have to ask for help like this, especially so soon after [losing] grandad.”

Now, the Lomas family are focusing on getting Jamie home so he can be laid to rest for “the goodbye he deserves, surrounded by his family and loved ones”.

You can donate to the fundraiser to bring Jamie home here.

Kylie Jenner posed up for her sexiest shoot to date as she finally addressed the backlash received for being named a ‘self-made billionaire’ in 2018.

The 29-year-old cosmetics mogul, who recently addressed pregnancy rumors, scintillated in a sultry cover shoot for Who What Wear released on Thursday.

Back in 2019, Forbes dubbed the reality star the ‘youngest-ever self-made billionaire’ after she sold 51 percent of her Kylie Cosmetics brand to beauty brand Coty Inc for $600 million.

Jenner, who was 21 at the time, unseated Facebook‘s Mark Zuckerberg, now 42, as the youngest-ever self-made billionaire – he was 23 when he made his first billion 11 years ago in 2008.

And now, the mom of two finally addressed the firestorm directly in her WWW cover story as many took umbrage with the claims she was ‘self-made’ despite coming from a rich family with several multimillionaires.

Jenner said: ‘None of the money I’ve ever made is inherited, so it’s technically true but people just feel like the privilege I’ve had was a major stepping stone.’

Kylie put on quite the racy display

The 29-year-old cosmetics mogul scintillated in a sultry cover shoot for Who What Wear released on Thursday

Forbes has since reported that her actual net worth is around $670 million. 

In the new feature, Jenner also got very candid about being a young mother and why she made the decision to not have any more children in her twenties.  

The lip kit mogul shares two children with her amicable rapper ex Travis Scott, her daughter Stormi, eight, and son Aire, four. 

She said: ‘I made a promise to myself at 25 that I was not going to have any more children—right now—and really just enjoy the last half of my 20s because the first half was like, “You’re pregnant,” and then it’s the year of recovery, and, you know, my mental state, my postpartum depression, and all those things. 

‘It felt like I lost some of those young years of my life.’

She proudly put her cleavage on full display

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Back in 2019, Forbes dubbed the reality star a ‘youngest-ever self-made billionaire’ which has been criticized for years (pictured on the 2018 cover)

And now, the mom of two finally addressed the firestorm directly in her WWW cover story as many took umbrage with the claims she was ‘self-made’ despite coming from a rich family with several multimillionaires

Jenner said: ‘None of the money I’ve ever made is inherited, so it’s technically true but people just feel like the privilege I’ve had was a major stepping stone’

The lip kit mogul shares two children with her amicable rapper ex Travis Scott, her daughter Stormi, eight, and son Aire, four 

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She said: ‘I made a promise to myself at 25 that I was not going to have any more children—right now—and really just enjoy the last half of my 20s because the first half was like, “You’re pregnant,” and then it’s the year of recovery, and, you know, my mental state, my postpartum depression, and all those things’

As the girlfriend of Timothee Chalamet recently entered the last year of her twenties, she will be turning 30 in August of next year and seems to be looking forward to evolving more.

Jenner was asked if there was something that once seemed important to her that she is now ready to leave behind as she replied: ‘I think having an enormous life.

‘ I changed my mind about that. When I was younger, I got really excited, and I got the craziest house I could in Beverly Hills, and I just kind of went for it. I’ve realized that my life got too big, and I said, “Yeah, never mind.” I think I lost control of my life a little bit for a while there.’

“Nadine’s voice has been under the weather and she only wants to give [the] absolute best to you all, which sadly won’t be possible this weekend as she needs time to rest and recuperate.”

Nadine Coyle has been forced to pull out of this weekend’s Manchester Village Pride event due to illness.

The city’s annual LGBTQ+ celebration will officially get underway on Friday, August 28 and continue over the Bank Holiday weekend, concluding with the Candlelight Vigil on Monday evening.

On Friday night, a number of performers are set to take to the stage for the first evening including Danny Beard, Freemasons and Katherine Ellis, and Lola Lasagne. Girls Aloud star Nadine Coyle had also been due to perform on the night.

However, it has now been announced that Nadine will no longer be able to attend due to illness, Manchester Evening News reports.

In a statement shared by Manchester Village Pride organisers, the Derry singer’s team said: “Nadine is so sorry to have to step out of Manchester Village Pride this year. It was her very first Pride many years ago and she loves getting to spend time with you all.

“Nadine’s voice has been under the weather and she only wants to give [the] absolute best to you all, which sadly won’t be possible this weekend as she needs time to rest and recuperate.

“We hate to do it so near the day. Nadine was really hoping she was going to be well enough and hopes she can see you all in Manchester for Pride again soon. Thank you for being so kind and understanding and we hope you have a wonderful weekend.”

Manchester Village Pride announced that the singer’s closing night slot on the Friday main stage will now be covered by Irish 90s pop group B*Witched, who are behind hits like C’est La Vie and Blame It On The Weatherman.

In a statement, Manchester Village Pride bosses said: “We know how excited many of you were for a massive hit of 2000s pop nostalgia, and we promised you a party. We’ve been working around the clock, and we are beyond thrilled to announce that pop royalty B*WITCHED are stepping in at the eleventh hour!

“From “C’est La Vie” to “Rollercoaster”, get your double denim ready because they are bringing the ultimate 90s/00s girl-group energy to the main stage. Let’s give them a massive Manchester welcome. We can’t wait to see you in the Village!”

B*Witched responded to the news on social media to add: “Can’t wait to see you guys. Wishing @nadinecoyle a speedy recovery.”

This year will mark the first Manchester Village Pride, which was created following the voluntary liquidation of the company behind Manchester Pride just months after last year’s event. A new Community Interest Company was set up to protect the future of the event and was backed by many venues within the Gay Village.

The Manchester Village Pride weekend will also feature performances from the likes of Kate Nash, DJ Sammy, Cascada, Gareth Gates, DJ Paulette, Misha B, Michael Marouli, Ghetto Fabulous, and Adam Rickitt.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our What’s On newsletter.

A collapsing glacier in Tibet led to a devastating wall of water and debris roaring through a valley in Nepal, leaving hundreds dead and many hundreds still missing.

Stuart Dunning is a professor of applied geomorphology who researches disaster risk reduction in high mountain a areas nd has closely studied the 2021 Chamoli disaster, a similar event. He’s part of a loose group of 50 or more international experts who come together to pool expertise and provide rapid analysis of events like these.

The Conversation asked him about the science behind this event, and what we can expect in future.

What exactly happened – and how can a collapsing glacier generate such a powerful flood?

The exact sequence of events that sent so much debris and water downstream is something we are still trying to unravel. There are a number of possibilities. One is that a large bedrock landslide took the glacier with it. Another is that a bedrock landslide destabilised the glacier and it fell very shortly after. Another is that the glacier failed first and then the bedrock above failed.

I think the best description is that a rock-ice avalanche began at around 4,800 metres and fell over 1,200 metres. There was enough ice in the initial collapse – and perhaps subsequently picked up – that it could generate the water to turn it into the devastating long runout debris flow. This is far more damaging than a dry rock avalanche.

The flow travelled along the river, so gaining water. It would have been eroding the valley floor and sides as it went. Further downstream, that material will have been deposited across the landscape.

What do we call this event? Is it a glacial outburst flood, a landslide, an ice avalanche… something else?

I’m part of a group of 50 or more hazard experts debating what to term this. It is easy to see why the first reports assumed it was a glacial lake outlet flood, or Glof, since that is perhaps the best known source of such cascades. However, in this case, there was no lake.

For now, I’m calling the whole “event” a hazard cascade or process chain. It started as a landslide of uncertain volumes of rock and ice. Most of that ice melted as a result of fragmentation and friction-generated heat. In other events we have found rounded bits of ice in the deposits that were transported along and then melted out much later.

What can satellite images tell us about what happened – both before and after?

Satellites are invaluable for a wide area picture of where the flood began – which is often in doubt at the start given the remote nature of the terrain – and where it travelled. With satellite data often updating daily, we can look for secondary hazards, such as water building up behind the debris, risking further sudden floods, or large sections of material that looks unstable.

It is the combination of ground data (photos, videos) and seismic data that lets us measure how fast it moved, how deep it was, how “watery” it was, which is then combined with the wide area satellite data.

How is climate change shaping the threats posed by Himalayan glaciers?

In general, ice is thinning and retreating. What that leaves throughout the Himalayas are glacial lakes (not an issue for this event) and slopes that are often unstable. This is combined with thawing permafrost, sometimes described as the “glue” holding bedrock together.

So, climate change plays a role – perhaps an increasing one – alongside other preconditioning factors such as earthquake damage to rock, rapidly uplifting mountains that gravity wants to bring down. And these events are more devastating because there are more people living in these landscapes than at any time in history.

There are more “reported” hazard cascades like this, but, extreme events are just that, extreme and rare, our knowledge back in time is not always strong enough to say with absolute certainty that we have crossed a threshold and there will be more disasters of this kind or even bigger.

What made this event so destructive – and what could have made it less deadly?

Events become disasters when they exceed our ability to cope. Little could withstand a wall of mud, rock and water moving at that speed. Anything on the valley floor, or up on the lower valley sides as the flow washed around corners was at risk.

Rock avalanches happen regularly above the glaciers in Alaska. Some travel a few kilometres. The difference is they do not fully turn into fluid and people are not living immediately down-valley from them. In the Himalayas, steep, retreating glaciers are not that far from communities.

What did people and authorities get right, and what could be done differently next time?

It’s harder to reduce the risk posed by hazard cascades from a landslide than for, say, a glacial lake outburst flood. For a Glof you know where the source of the flood will be and you broadly know how much water there is, so you can pre-model and map where a flood may go.

There are thousands of slopes of this kind in the region so it’s difficult to monitor and predict. So far, we have not any spotted obvious precursors.

The Nepalese did what was possible. There was a gauge that captures flow from many valleys – you simply can’t monitor every stream. When the rapid rise in water level was noticed, my understanding is that alerts were sent out.

This is where next time becomes key. For an earthquake the advice is “drop, cover, roll”. What do you do for these events? Some people will have minutes, some hours. Some should simply get to a high concrete building while for others, a nearby building would not be safe and heading uphill is the answer. So, the advice is challenging and nuanced for those closest to the hazard.

One thing we might be able to do is increase the time people have to act. Seismic “noise” can cover wide areas, so there are ongoing efforts try to interpret those signals as rapidly as possible to distinguish earthquakes from landslides – and we know a flood itself generates seismic signals.

I think that is where some great advances can be made alongside targeted in-situ monitoring and working with exposed populations in pressured landscapes used for housing, agriculture and often hydropower. We also have to accept some areas are just too hazardous to live in.

Lillie Yale, 14, has become the first UK patient to have a dissolvable heart implant fitted to treat atrial septal defect (ASD). The device, known as Memosorb, acts as a scaffold for the heart to heal the hole itself before disappearing completely. Lillie’s mother Becci Nichols said doctors at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital went “above and beyond” for her daughter, as a traditional metal implant would mean Lillie giving up rugby, which she hopes to play professionally one day (Becci Nichols/PA)

PHOENIX (AP) — The Trump administration has begun work on a project to build a stretch of border wall in southern Arizona along part of a Native American tribe’s reservation, pushing ahead with one of its signature projects despite protests from the tribe.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection says the area is a dangerous smuggling route and that building the wall will close a longstanding security gap. But members of the Tohono O’odham Nation, whose membership spans both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border, have accused the administration of trespassing and say the construction will damage land sacred to the tribe.

The wall segment is part of a $46 billion dollar effort by the Trump administration to fill the border with 30-foot (9-meter) steel bollard walls, vehicle barriers, and technology designed to stop undocumented immigration and smuggling.

But as building efforts have ramped up, the administration has run into opposition from landowners, environmental groups, and Native American tribes who say construction is violating property rights and desecrating sacred indigenous sites.

The Tohono O’odham Nation said in a statement Tuesday that about 20 Customs and Border Protection officers, working with contractors, went onto the tribe’s land early that morning to begin construction.

Drone videos published by nation officials show roughly 14 vehicles and an industrial drill at one of the sites.

A federal judge permitted the government to move forward with construction earlier this month, but the tribe says the contractors are violating tribal codes and trespassing to access the border wall site.

The Tohono O’odham Nation, which has 37,000 members including thousands who live in Mexico, sued the federal government in June in an attempt to block construction of the border wall. The tribe argued that the wall would cause “significant devastation” on the reservation, including the destruction of mountain peaks sacred to the tribe, and would alter boundaries of their nation.

US District Judge Richard Leon in Washington, D.C., an appointee of former President George W. Bush, ruled in favor of the government, noting that the border wall wpi;d be built on a 60-foot (18-meter) wide buffer zone of federally owned land called the Roosevelt Reservation.

“Defendants have not yet articulated plans to construct outside the Roosevelt Reservation,” the judge wrote in his opinion.

CBP defended the need for the wall in a statement Tuesday, saying the desert spanning the Tohono O’odham Nation is a corridor for drug smuggling.

“The project will close one of the most dangerous smuggling and trafficking corridors on the Southwest border: remote desert that has facilitated decades of drug loads, migrant deaths, and cartel activity,” said CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott.

Tribal officials said they’re exploring further legal actions in an effort to remove contractors.

SLSCO Ltd., the Texas-based construction company building the section in Arizona, has secured over $390 million in funding from the Department of Homeland Security to build the border wall since 2023.