By GRAHAM LEE BREWER
The president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe in South Dakota has called for the immediate release of tribal members detained 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 since 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 said. “Enrolled tribal members are citizens of the United States by statute and citizens of the Oglala Sioux Nation by treaty.”
Details surrounding the circumstances that led to the detentions 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 provided with only the first names of the detained men. Further information was withheld unless the tribe agreed to enter into an immigration agreement with ICE.
The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday evening. Meanwhile, Star Comes Out emphasized that the tribe has no plans to enter such an agreement with ICE.
In a post on his Facebook page, Star Comes Out revealed that the four detained tribal members are experiencing homelessness and were living under a bridge in Minneapolis. One of the members has since been released from detention.
In the press release, President Star Comes Out demanded transparency regarding the status of the three men still in custody. He called for the release of all tribal citizens held by ICE and requested a meeting between the tribe and the federal government to address the matter.
https://www.lowellsun.com/2026/01/13/immigration-enforcement-tribal-members/