Tribal nations encourage citizens to carry tribal IDs while ICE operations surge
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Last week, a Red Lake Nation descendant was detained by ICE for several hours, and the president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe in South Dakota put out a statement saying four unhoused tribal members living in Minneapolis have been detained by ICE.
In response to incidents between Native people and ICE, tribal nations with citizens living in the Twin Cities are encouraging band members and eligible family members to carry tribal identification while ICE operations surge.
Over the weekend, the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation held drop-in hours at Pow Wow Grounds, a Native-owned coffee shop in south Minneapolis. The shop is connected within the same building as the Native American Community Development Institute and All My Relations Gallery.
Christine Yellow Bird held the drop-in hours on behalf of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation. She is the director of the White Shield East Segment’s satellite office in Fargo, N.D. She says around 40 tribal citizens stopped by Pow Wow Grounds to obtain tribal IDs.
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“Some of them are without homes, some are unsheltered, and some of them don't have their legal documentation saying who they are, and that does prevent them from finding homes or a shelter,” she said. “They are big targets of the current situation at hand going on in Minneapolis right now. Helping them get their identification and whatnot gives them identity.”
While the environment in Minneapolis is “scary” and “unpredictable,” she said the atmosphere over the weekend was filled with prayers and smudging.
“The unity was so beautiful,” Yellow Bird said.
Yellow Bird says she plans to hold more drop-in hours on Thursday.
Several tribal nations will also hold open hours at their urban office in Minneapolis or the Minneapolis American Indian Center.
Secretary of Red Lake Nation Sam Strong spoke at a press conference on Friday urging tribal members to obtain or renew their tribal IDs.
“To all Red Lake Nation members, come, and again, any of our descendants as well. Let us know and we'll pass the message along. We'll protect our people at all costs,” Strong said.
Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe urban office director Wahbon Spears also spoke to the media. Band members ages 5 and up can receive their tribal IDs free of charge at the tribe’s urban office Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
“Please let your band members know,” Spears said.
The Lower Sioux Indian Community released a statement last week also encouraging their members living in the Twin Cities to carry their tribal IDs with them.
“We are Dakota. We have endured, protected our people, and led strength through difficult moments before. We are doing so again — together,” the statement reads.
Tribal nations holding drop-in hours this week:
Bois Forte Band of Chippewa
Fees waived.
Minneapolis Urban Office: Tuesday, Jan. 13, 1-6 p.m.
Duluth Urban Office: Wednesday, Jan. 14, 1-6 p.m.
Additional dates:
Minneapolis Urban Office: Tuesday, Feb. 3, 1-6 p.m.
Duluth Urban Office: Wednesday, Feb. 4, 1-6 p.m.
Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
Fees waived.
Leech Lake Twin Cities Office
Tuesday, Jan. 13, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 14, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe
Fees waived.
Mille Lacs Urban Office
Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Red Lake Nation
Fees waived.
Red Lake Embassy Building
Wednesday, Jan. 14, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 15, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
White Earth Nation
Fees waived.
Minneapolis American Indian Center
Monday, Jan. 12, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 13, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 14, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate
Fees waived.
Minneapolis American Indian Center
Wednesday, Jan. 14, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 15, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe
Fees waived.
Minneapolis American Indian Center
Thursday, Jan. 15, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 16, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Rosebud Sioux Tribe
Fees waived.
Minneapolis American Indian Center
Friday, Jan. 16, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 17, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Oglala Sioux Tribe
Minneapolis American Indian Center
Friday, Jan. 16, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 17, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
In addition to Minnesota tribes, the Cheyanne River Sioux Tribe released a statement encouraging tribal nation citizens to obtain or renew their IDs. All fees will be waived for enrolled tribal members.
Updated information regarding drop-in hours can be found on tribal nations’ social media pages and websites.
Chandra Colvin covers Native American communities in Minnesota for MPR News via Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues and communities.
