About US

Ysleta del Sur Pueblo (YDSP) is one of three federally recognized Native American tribes, and the only Pueblo, in the State of Texas. The current YDSP population is approximately 4,226 members nationwide. Thirteen miles from downtown El Paso, Ysleta, Texas has been home to the Tigua people for over 300 years.

The Ysleta del Sur Pueblo ("the Pueblo") is a U.S. federally recognized Native American tribe and sovereign nation. The Tribal community known as "Tigua" established Ysleta del Sur in 1682. After leaving the homelands of Quarai Pueblo due to drought, the Tigua sought refuge at Isleta Pueblo and were later captured by the Spanish during the 1680 Pueblo Revolt and forced to walk south for over 400 miles.

The Tigua settled and built the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo and, soon after, the acequia (canal) system that sustained a thriving agricultural-based community. The Tribe's early economic and farming efforts helped pave the way for the region's development.

The Pueblo is an active partner in the greater El Paso region. Its government and business contributions support the Pueblo as well as the greater El Paso economy. The Pueblo owns and operates a tribal government and diverse enterprises that provide meaningful employment and benefits for both tribal members and regional citizens. The Pueblo is proud to be an employer of choice in the region with a local workforce nearing 1,200 across all tribal entities -- 30% of these positions are filled by YDSP members. Furthermore, gainful employment opportunities are critical to the Pueblo achieving economic self-sufficiency while improving its overall quality of life.

Revenue generated from these tribal sectors fund essential community infrastructure and services, such as health care, education, law enforcement, tribal courts, elder assistance, housing, economic development, and capital improvements. Education, job creation and workforce skill building are YDSP priority areas. It is the Pueblo’s economic development efforts that create avenues to self-determination and self-governance.

YDSP embodies the principles of self-governance throughout all of its facets. Self-Governance provides tribal governments the autonomy and decision-making authority over the federal financial resources provided for the benefit of Indian people, while setting economic foundations that leverage their unique sovereign statuses. Tribes perform better when they set their own trajectories, allocate their own resources, and establish priorities based on their needs. It is also a tool to broaden self-determined efforts that spark innovation, courage, and resiliency. Self-governance is not a program with a beginning and end, it is paradigm shift that changes the thinking of status quo to that of endless potential.

The Pueblo also incorporates the tenets of self-governance through its partnerships and business engagements with expectations of dealing in a government to government manner. From its government operations to enterprise development to service delivery, the Pueblo implements self-governance strategies to design programs that address YDSP priority areas. 

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Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo