Oglala Sioux Tribe says 3 members arrested in Minneapolis remain in ICE custody

Four tribal members detained by ICE in Minneapolis

Ruth Buffalo, CEO of MN Indigenous Women’s Resource Center, shares insights on FOX 9 All Day about the detention of tribal members by ICE in Minneapolis. One person has been released, while three remain in custody at the Whipple Federal Building in Fort Snelling.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe is calling for the immediate release of tribal members who were detained by ICE and remain in custody at the Whipple Federal Building.

Tribal members detained by ICE

The backstory:

According to the Oglala Sioux Tribe, four tribal members were detained by ICE in Minneapolis on Thursday, Jan. 8. The Tribe has been actively seeking confirmation of the identities and status of the detained members through various channels, including jail services and the ICE hotline. 

As of Tuesday, the Tribe has learned the first names of the four people detained, and that one of them has been released. The remaining three members have reportedly been transferred to the ICE Detention Center at Fort Snelling. 

The Tribe has issued a memorandum to federal agencies, highlighting that tribal members are U.S. citizens by statute and fall outside immigration jurisdiction. And therefore, the detention of its members is unlawful and violates treaties. 

What they're saying:

"This is not a misunderstanding or an enforcement discretion issue," President Star Comes Out stated. "This is a treaty violation. Treaties are not optional. Sovereignty is not conditional. Our citizens are not negotiable."

The Oglala Sioux Tribe is demanding immediate confirmation of who is being detained and where, the release of all enrolled tribal citizens held by ICE, written assurances that the detentions will stop, and direct government-to-government consultation with federal officials.

FOX 9 reached out to DHS for more information.