The Native American Caucus members in the Minnesota Legislature have castigated the recent actions by ICE involving the detainment of Indigenous individuals, which they are describing as a gross misuse of authority marred by systemic racism. In a statement released on the Minnesota Senate DFL website, Senator Mary Kunesh, Representative Heather Keeler, and Representative Liish Kozlowski expressed their indignation over these incidents of racial profiling and unwarranted detainment.
The statement highlights several unsettling incidents, including the apprehension of four Oglala Sioux relatives and a Red Lake Nation descendant, Jose Roberto Ramirez. These events appear to be part of a larger pattern of harassment and illegal detentions carried out by ICE officers against Native Americans. Community members have reported being stopped without cause and interrogated for documentation, practices which the caucus argues directly undermine Indigenous sovereignty and violate due process. "Snatching a Native person off the street is not a reckless mistake – it’s a direct assault on Indigenous sovereignty and due process," the caucus members pointed out in the statement.
The outcry from the caucus goes further, drawing attention to what they consider aggressive and militarized actions by federal agents, heightened by the tragic death of Renee Nicole Good, who was killed by an ICE agent. According to the caucus members, such forcefulness and intimidation directed towards Native peoples mirror the broader injustices experienced historically by Black, Brown, and immigrant communities. They decry these actions as perpetuating "violence against us, against trans and Two Spirit relatives, and against immigrants" which "threatens everyone’s rights," underscoring the urgency of the situation as conveyed in the Senate DFL website.
In response to these events, the caucus members demand a comprehensive review and immediate termination of what they see as ICE's discriminatory practices. They call for DHS to engage in meaningful consultation with Tribal Leaders, ensuring that Indigenous rights and civil liberties are upheld. As stressed by the trio, "We demand an immediate halt to ICE for good, an end to the discriminatory practices, and a comprehensive, transparent investigation of ICE and its accomplices across the system," the Senate DFL reported. They urge Native American leadership to establish strategic responses to ICE activities, equipping both Indigenous and non-Indigenous community members with resources to assert their rights.
The members conclude their statement with a clear message of strength and unity in the face of adversity, emphasizing their role as the original custodians of the land. They affirm their unwavering commitment to resisting injustice and protecting the welfare of their people and lands. The caucus members—Kunesh, Kozlowski, and Keeler—leave their constituents with words of gratitude, "Weweni and Wopila Tanka," denoting thanks in their respective Indigenous languages.
