The Oglala Sioux Tribe says it is trying to locate and identify four enrolled members who were detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minneapolis.
Tribal President Frank Star Comes Out said in a statement shared on Facebook that the men were homeless and living near the Little Earth housing complex in Minneapolis, a community of nearly 1,500 residents, many of whom are Native American. According to the tribe, the men were taken into custody without their names being recorded. Tribal attorneys have contacted Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan in an effort to confirm the men’s identities and determine where they are being held.
The South Dakota-based tribe said it is prepared to provide enrollment documentation to federal authorities and has also issued guidance to members on what to do if they are stopped or detained.
Tribe members are being advised to say: “I am a citizen of the OGLALA LAKOTA NATION, a federally recognized Tribal Nation. Under the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924, all Native people born within the territorial limits of the United States are recognized as U.S. citizens by birthright. Because I am both a Tribal citizen and a U.S. citizen, ICE has no lawful authority to detain me.”
Why It Matters
The Trump administration has deployed thousands of federal officers to Minnesota as part of a broader immigration enforcement push that officials have linked in part to a fraud scandal involving Somali residents. The Department of Homeland Security has said more than 2,000 officers are involved in what it describes as the largest immigration enforcement operation in U.S. history.
The surge has prompted demonstrations in Minneapolis in recent days, including protests following the fatal shooting of a woman by an ICE officer on Wednesday.
Oglala Sioux Tribe: What to Know
The Oglala Sioux Tribe is a federally recognized Native American tribe based on the Pine Ridge Reservation in southwestern South Dakota. The reservation is among the largest in the United States, covering more than 2.1 million acres, and is home to thousands of enrolled members. The Oglala are part of the Lakota Nation—one of three major divisions of the Sioux people—and maintain a strong cultural identity rooted in Lakota language, traditions, and governance.
The Oglala were central to the Plains Wars of the 19th century, including the Battle of the Little Bighorn, and have long defended treaty rights under the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868. Today, the tribe operates under a constitution approved in 1936 and exercises sovereignty through its elected government.
Pine Ridge faces severe economic hardship. Nearly half of residents live below the poverty line, with some estimates exceeding 50%, and unemployment has been reported as high as 80% to 89% (U.S. Census Bureau). Per capita income is among the lowest in the nation, around $8,768 (U.S. Census Bureau), and many families experience inadequate housing and limited access to healthcare, education, and infrastructure (Indian Health Service reports). These challenges contribute to ongoing health and social disparities, even as the tribe continues efforts to improve economic opportunity and quality of life.
