Frank Star Comes Out, the president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe in South Dakota, has called 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. In a statement, Star Comes Out emphasized that 'tribal citizens are not aliens' and are 'categorically outside immigration jurisdiction.' He pointed out that enrolled tribal members are both citizens of the United States by statute and citizens of the Oglala Sioux Nation by treaty.
Details surrounding the circumstances of the detention remain unclear. The memorandum sent by the tribe to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary noted the tribe was only given first names of the detained individuals and was informed that more detailed information would only be released if the tribe agreed to enter into an immigration agreement with ICE. Star Comes Out has stated the tribe has no intention of entering such an agreement.
In a Facebook post, the president shared that the four detained tribal members are experiencing homelessness and have been living under a bridge in Minneapolis, with one member reportedly released from detention.
The Oglala Sioux Tribe has demanded information regarding the status of the detained individuals and a meeting with government officials to discuss their release and conditions of detention. DHS has yet to comment on the matter.
