The president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe in South Dakota has made a public demand for the immediate release of tribal members detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Minnesota. This incident occurred last week when four tribal members were arrested in Minneapolis, and three of them have since been transferred to an ICE facility at Fort Snelling.
In a statement, President Frank Star Comes Out emphasized that 'tribal citizens are not aliens’ and are 'categorically outside immigration jurisdiction.' He asserted that enrolled tribal members are not only U.S. citizens by statute but also citizens of the Oglala Sioux Nation through treaty rights.
The specifics behind the arrests remain unclear, with the tribe reportedly receiving limited information from the Department of Homeland Security, which only provided first names and refused further details unless the tribe agreed to an immigration partnership with ICE. President Star Comes Out confirmed that there are no intentions to enter this agreement.
Star Comes Out revealed in a Facebook post that the detained tribal members are currently experiencing homelessness, living under a bridge in Minneapolis. Of the four members, one has reportedly been released from detention. He demanded a meeting with the government, the release of all tribal citizens currently in ICE custody, and clarification on the conditions of the detained members.
As of now, the Department of Homeland Security has not publicly responded to the requests for information.
