Native American communities are informing members to carry their tribal ID amid increased federal activity.
On Wednesday, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community President Everett Ekdahl Jr. shared a statement with the community, following similar statements made by other Michigan tribes, telling members amid increased federal law enforcement activity involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement to carry identification information and how to respond in the case an individual is stopped by ICE agents.
KBIC CEO Brigitte LaPointe Dunham says recent actions in Minnesota where three Native Americans were detained by ICE agents harms tribal sovereignty.
“There’s been increased ICE activity nationally across Indian Country and you know that raises a lot of important questions about jurisdiction, safety, and sovereignty. So our goal is to ensure our members understand their rights and know what to do if they are approached, all while you know reaffirming sovereignty for our tribal nation,” LaPointe Dunham said.
While KBIC is far away from a large city, the Council of Urban Indian Health estimates roughly 70% of American Indian and Alaska Native people live in urban areas. LaPointe says she has not seen ICE activity in the Upper Peninsula. However, remaining in contact with tribes throughout Michigan, she says there has been some activity around the Grand Rapids area and northern Lower Peninsula.
“So the concern with all of this is really, the concern is confusion and fear. And especially when enforcement activities occur without coordination with tribal governments. In small, close-knit communities like ours, misunderstandings can escalate very quickly. And we just want to really prevent those misunderstandings. We want to prevent any miscommunication or confusion,” LaPointe Dunham said.
The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community was organized under the 1842 Treaty of LaPointe. LaPointe-Dunham emphasized tribal sovereignty, defined as a nation with self-governance over its people and land. Actions on tribal land by federal agents without coordination with Native American tribes can cause fear and confusion among communities.
Those interested in reading the full statement from KBIC can find a copy online, here.
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