Leaders of the Oglala Sioux Tribe say three of their adult members have been taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in Minneapolis. The tribe's president, Frank Star Comes Out, said in a statement that four homeless tribal members were picked up by enforcement agents near shelters in south Minneapolis.
One of the four has since been released, while the remaining three are said to be held at an ICE facility at Fort Snelling. The tribe is demanding their immediate release, saying the detentions are unlawful and a violation of treaty rights because tribal citizens are also United States citizens.
Tribal leaders say the men were living under a bridge and in urban encampments when they were taken. They argue that as enrolled members of a federally recognised Indigenous nation, they are not subject to immigration detention for lack of citizenship. The tribe has insisted that the federal government provide full information about the men's status and location.
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DHS Denies It Detained Tribal Members
Officials from the US Department of Homeland Security have disputed the tribe's claims. They say they have been unable to verify that ICE officers detained or encountered members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, and they did not find anyone in federal detention centres who identified as such.
DHS also denied that they would condition information on the tribe on an immigration enforcement agreement. Tribal leaders later clarified some of their earlier statements about communication with federal officials, saying they had been 'misinterpreted.' Tribal president Frank Star Comes Out said communications were cooperative and that federal officials mentioned a formal agreement only as one way to get information quickly.
The situation has highlighted how difficult it can be for Indigenous people in cities like Minneapolis to prove their identity to law enforcement. Tribal attorneys are working to confirm the identities of the men and secure their release, and they have instructed other tribal members approached by ICE to clearly state their citizenship and tribal affiliation.
Tribal Sovereignty And Citizenship
The debate centres on tribal sovereignty and citizenship. Native American nations like the Oglala Sioux have treaty relationships with the federal government that recognise their authority and the rights of their citizens. In addition, all Native Americans born in the United States are U.S. citizens under federal law.
Tribal leaders stress that these legal foundations mean tribal citizens should not be subject to immigration detention simply because federal agents say they do not have documentation.
Indigenous groups across the United States have noted similar incidents recently. Some Native Americans say they have been stopped by ICE officers in different states, even when they have produced tribal identification to show U.S. citizenship. Tribal advocates in Minneapolis and elsewhere have been encouraging citizens to carry both tribal and government identity cards to avoid erroneous detentions by federal authorities.
Fort Snelling's Troubled History
The place where the three men are said to be held, Fort Snelling, has deep historical meaning for Indigenous peoples. It was once a U.S. military post used to imprison Dakota people during the Dakota War of 1862. Many view the use of that site for immigration detention as symbolic, adding pain to an already fraught situation.
Politics, Tribal Tension And Kristi Noem
The controversy has gained a political dimension partly because of past tensions between tribal leaders and Kristi Noem, who served as Governor of South Dakota before becoming US Secretary of Homeland Security. In 2024, tribal officials, including those of the Oglala Sioux, banned Noem from the Pine Ridge Reservation after she publicly said that Mexican cartels were operating on tribal lands.
Tribal leaders said those comments were inaccurate, disrespectful and harmful. Multiple tribes in the state adopted similar bans, preventing Noem from entering reservation lands.
Noem later apologised for some of her remarks and sought to improve relations with tribes. One tribe lifted its ban after expressing confidence in her commitment to protecting their citizens. However, other tribes, including the Oglala Sioux, have maintained their position, and the history of political disagreement adds to the complex context surrounding the current controversy.
There is no direct evidence that the reported detentions in Minneapolis are an act of revenge by Noem. Yet tribal leaders and critics see the situation through the lens of long-standing mistrust between federal authorities and Indigenous communities. They argue that federal enforcement actions must respect tribal sovereignty and citizenship law, and they are calling for clearer protections and better communication between national agencies and sovereign Indigenous nations.
