Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Faces Backlash Over ICE Contract

Sun Dec 14 2025 00:16:25 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation is under fire from fellow Native Americans after signing a federal contract to design immigrant detention centers, prompting allegations of betrayal and discussions on terminating the agreement.

The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, whose ancestors faced forced removal in the 1830s, is embroiled in controversy after entering a $30 million deal with ICE to design immigrant detention centers. The tribal community is reacting with outrage, calling for a reevaluation of the deal. Leaders have fired economic development personnel involved, and Chairman Joseph Rupnick seeks legal advice to possibly withdraw from the contract. The backlash highlights the tension between economic opportunities and tribal values amid increased scrutiny of federal dealings with Native nations.

MAYETTA, Kan. (RTWNews) — The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation is facing significant backlash from fellow Native Americans after it was revealed that the tribe signed a nearly $30 million federal contract in October to help design immigrant detention centers across the United States. This deal has ignited accusations of betrayal, as it echoes the tribe’s own historical trauma of forced removals from their ancestral lands in the 1830s.

The criticism has been severe, leading to the dismissal of the economic development leaders responsible for negotiating the contract. Many tribe members expressed their outrage, with 74-year-old Ray Rice stating, We are known across the nation now as traitors and treasonous to another race of people. We are brown and they’re brown.

In a recent video message, Tribal Chairman Joseph “Zeke” Rupnick emphasized the need for full transparency in light of the outcry, and mentioned that the tribe is consulting legal counsel regarding potential ways to exit the contract. He referenced the traumatic history of Native American reservations, calling them historical detention centers created by federal forces.

Critics within the Native American community are particularly concerned as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has recently ramped up its operations, with some Native individuals caught up in immigration raids. This has led to heightened scrutiny of federal contracts involving tribal nations, with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians also facing criticism for their multimillion-dollar contract with ICE.

As economic pressures on tribal businesses grow due to dwindling federal funding and inflation, some tribal leaders are urged to consider contracts that align with their communities' values. However, the availability of such contracts is diminishing, prompting tribes like the Prairie Band Potawatomi to pursue economically beneficial yet controversial arrangements.

The contract, initially awarded for $19 million, was later modified to nearly $30 million, raising questions about the transparency of the federal contracting process and the selection methodology behind these deals.

As discussions continue within the tribe about the implications of this decision, member Carole Cadue-Blackwood expressed disbelief at the contract, hoping for its termination to reflect the values and history of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation.