'The Irony Is Not Lost On Us': Oglala Sioux Tribe Says ICE Illegally Detained Tribal Citizens In MN

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — The Oglala Sioux Tribe says several enrolled tribal citizens were detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Minnesota, prompting tribal leaders to demand immediate federal action and clarification from the Department of Homeland Security.

According to the Tribe, four enrolled Oglala Sioux citizens were detained under ICE authority. One has since been released, while the remaining individuals were transferred to the ICE detention facility at Fort Snelling.

Tribal officials say they were alerted to the detentions on Jan. 8 and attempted to confirm the identities and locations of those held through county jail systems and ICE’s detainee information hotline, but were unable to obtain answers.

In a formal demand to federal officials, the Tribe argues that ICE lacks authority to detain enrolled tribal citizens under immigration law.

“This is not a misunderstanding or an enforcement discretion issue,” Tribal President Frank Star Comes Out said. “This is a treaty violation. Treaties are not optional. Sovereignty is not conditional.”

Star Comes Out also pointed to the historical significance of Fort Snelling, saying the reported detention of Lakota citizens there carries added weight given its connection to the Dakota 38+2 executions and other traumatic events in Native history.

“The irony is not lost on us,” he said.

The Tribe is demanding confirmation of who was detained, where they are being held, and the legal basis for their detention, along with assurances that enrolled tribal citizens will not be subject to immigration enforcement.

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Patch has reached out to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement for comment