By GRAHAM LEE BREWER
The president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe in South Dakota called on Tuesday for the immediate release of tribal members detained at a homeless encampment by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Minnesota last week.
Three of the four Oglala Sioux Tribe members arrested in Minneapolis on Friday have been transferred to an ICE facility at Fort Snelling, President Frank Star Comes Out said in a statement released alongside a memorandum sent to federal immigration authorities.
“The Oglala Sioux Tribe’s memorandum makes clear that ‘tribal citizens are not aliens’ and are ‘categorically outside immigration jurisdiction,’” Star Comes Out explained. “Enrolled tribal members are citizens of the United States by statute and citizens of the Oglala Sioux Nation by treaty.”
Details surrounding the circumstances that led to their detention remain unclear. According to the memorandum sent to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, when the tribal nation reached out to the agency, it was provided with only the first names of the men. Homeland Security refused to release additional information unless the tribe “entered into an immigration agreement with ICE.”
DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday evening.
Star Comes Out emphasized that the tribe has no plans to enter into an agreement with ICE.
In a Facebook post, Star Comes Out revealed that the four detained tribal members were experiencing homelessness and living under a bridge in Minneapolis. One of the members has since been released from detention.
In his press release, the president demanded information about the status of the three men still in detention, the release of all tribal citizens in ICE custody, and a meeting between the tribe and the government.
https://www.dailypress.com/2026/01/13/immigration-enforcement-tribal-members/
