The Shadow Wolves, an all-Native American tracking unit known for their vigilant surveillance of drug and human smuggling on the Tohono O’odham reservation, are on the brink of seeing a significant upgrade in their career pathways. A new bill introduced by Senators Mark Kelly and Krysten Sinema proposes changes that would allow for better career growth for these agents who share a 76-mile border with Mexico.
According to AZPM News, the legislation would make it possible for the Shadow Wolves to convert their service from "excepted to competitive" after three years of satisfactory work, a move that is expected to offer better compensation and career mobility. "The Tohono O’odham Nation strongly supports the Shadow Wolves Improvement Act, which will further enhance the effectiveness of the Shadow Wolves program by improving retention and recruitment and expanding the program," Chairman of the Tohono O’odham Nation Verlon Jose said.
In addition to creating avenues for career advancement, the Shadow Wolves Improvement Act would also enable the program's expansion. This follows a change in 2022, supported bilaterally, which saw shadow wolves reclassified from tactical officers to the more esteemed rank of special agents. Such alignment with the Homeland Security Investigation Agents is seen as a natural step towards recognizing the critical work undertaken by these individuals in safeguarding the nation's borders.
Chairman Jamie Azure of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians expressed the importance of such legislation for tribal communities. "Public Safety, particularly drug and human trafficking, continue to be a priority for Indian Country," Azure explained. "These issues are uniquely difficult for tribal communities, like the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, who are located along the U.S. border. The Shadow Wolves Improvement Act is an additional tool within the law enforcement toolbox that will help," he told AZPM News.
