Tribal leaders across the U.S. are preparing members for encounters with federal law enforcement amid increased deportation efforts by the Trump administration. They advise carrying tribal IDs and knowing rights if approached by immigration officials. Concerns have risen due to a history of misidentification and misunderstandings regarding tribal identification cards. A letter from Democratic leaders to the Trump administration emphasized the fear spreading in tribal communities after reported incidents, where ICE officers questioned the citizenship of tribal members despite valid identification presented. This situation highlights the need for recognition of tribal IDs as proof of citizenship.
"The history of being misidentified is long," said Judith Le Blanc, executive director of the Native Organizers Alliance and a citizen of the Caddo Nation. "Our [U.S.] citizenship is so valuable to us, and we want to ensure that it is protected."
Democrats said that in the incident, an ICE agent questioned a Mescalero tribal member's citizenship even after being shown tribal identification. The letter to Trump urges him to direct ICE to accept tribal IDs as proof of U.S. citizenship.
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