By GRAHAM LEE BREWER
The president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe in South Dakota called on Tuesday for the immediate release of tribal members who were 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, President Frank Star Comes Out said in a statement. The statement was released alongside a memorandum sent to federal immigration authorities.
“The Oglala Sioux Tribe’s memorandum makes clear that ‘tribal citizens are not aliens’ and are ‘categorically outside immigration jurisdiction,’” Star Comes Out emphasized. “Enrolled tribal members are citizens of the United States by statute and citizens of the Oglala Sioux Nation by treaty.”
Details about the circumstances leading to their detention remain unclear. In the memorandum addressed to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Star Comes Out noted that when the tribal nation reached out to the agency, it was only provided with the first names of the detained men. Furthermore, Homeland Security refused to release additional information unless the tribe agreed to enter an immigration agreement with ICE.
As of Tuesday evening, DHS had not responded to requests for comment. Star Comes Out stated that the tribe has no plans to enter into any agreement with ICE.
In a post on his Facebook page, Star Comes Out shared that the four detained tribal members were experiencing homelessness and living under a bridge in Minneapolis. One of the members has since been released from detention.
In the press release, he demanded detailed information on the status of the three men still in custody, the release of all tribal citizens detained by ICE, and a meeting between the tribe and the federal government.
https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2026/01/13/immigration-enforcement-tribal-members/
