Tribal Leaders Demand Answers as ICE Detentions of Native Americans Escalate in Minneapolis

By Joe Morey Rez Life Weekly Editor

Oglala Sioux Tribe President Frank Star Comes Out said the federal government crossed a dangerous line when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement refused to provide basic information about detained tribal citizens unless the tribe agreed to enter into what he described as an “immigration agreement with ICE.”

In a memo addressed to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Star Comes Out informed federal officials that his tribe would not comply with such a demand, calling it an unacceptable attempt to leverage the detention of Native people in order to encroach on tribal sovereignty.

According to Star Comes Out, DHS officials told the tribe they would not release information about the detained men unless the Oglala Sioux Tribe agreed to cooperate with ICE under an immigration framework.

The tribe refused.

Star Comes Out wrote that tribal citizens are United States citizens and not “aliens,” and therefore fall outside federal immigration jurisdiction. The memo argues that the detention of enrolled tribal members violates U.S. law and treaty obligations and demanded confirmation of the identities and legal status of all detained tribal citizens.

The memo also demanded the immediate release of all tribal citizens in ICE custody and formally requested a meeting between the tribe and the administration.

The B.H. Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis, where ICE detainees are processed.

Star Comes Out later stated that using detained Native men as leverage amounted to treating them as bargaining chips.

“This shameful incident lays bare the ugly truth about Trump’s immigration enforcement,” the memo stated. “This was never about upholding the law. This was always about seizing more power with brutal boots on the ground and targeting nonwhite people.”

Star Comes Out emphasized that Native Americans possess inherent and legal rights to be in this country that predate the United States itself.

“Nobody has more of a right to be in this country than Native Americans,” the memo stated, calling for the immediate release of the detainees and restitution.

The memo was released just days after four enrolled members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe were detained by ICE in Minneapolis, near the Little Earth housing complex, a neighborhood home to nearly 1,500 people, many of them Native American.

Star Comes Out said the men were homeless and living near the complex when they were taken into custody. The tribe stated that the men’s names were not initially recorded and attorneys were unable to determine their whereabouts.

Tribal attorneys contacted Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan in an effort to locate the detainees and confirm their identities.

The tribe said it was prepared to provide enrollment records to federal authorities and issued guidance to members on what to say if detained.

“I am a citizen of the Oglala Lakota Nation, a federally recognized Tribal Nation,” the guidance instructs members to say. “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.”

The Trump administration has deployed thousands of federal officers to Minnesota as part of a sweeping immigration crackdown. Homeland Security officials said more than 2,000 officers were participating in what they described as the largest immigration enforcement operation in U.S. history. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey reported that there are 3,000 agents on the ground I the city between ICE and Border Patrol, while the city police force consists of only 600 officers.

The surge followed widespread protests after ICE agents fatally shot Renée Good, a 37-year-old mother, in south Minneapolis.

EDIT TO ADD:

From KSTP-TV Twin Cities- The president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe is walking back claims of pressure and arrests he made earlier this week. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security says it can't verify these claims and denies asking for any agreement. Tribal President Frank Star Comes Out has not commented further. The accusations arose amid concerns over immigration enforcement and racial profiling affecting Native Americans. Star Comes Out initially said the arrests occurred in Minneapolis and that federal officials said the tribe could get information if they entered into an immigration agreement with the federal government. Later he said his statement was “misinterpreted” and that no demand was made by federal officials.

St. Croix Chairman Warns Members to Stay Calm but Stand Firm

As fear and confusion spread through Native communities across Minnesota and Wisconsin, St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin Chairman Conrad St. John issued a public statement urging restraint, preparedness, and unity.

“There are so many emotions and thoughts in the moment with all the chaos and crime going on right now,” St. John said. “Begging for us to participate and distract us from what is really going on behind the scenes.”

St. John said remaining neutral was nearly impossible given the circumstances, adding that silence also carries meaning.

“We will not bend a knee to ICE,” he said. “But I will advise not to join the chaos.”

St. John reminded tribal members that tribal identification cards are federally issued documents and that failing to recognize them is not merely disrespectful but unlawful.

“We have more right to be here in this country than any other race,” he said. “To not acknowledge our tribal identification cards in situations like this is a federal crime.”

He encouraged members to obtain tribal identification for themselves and their children, noting that the enrollment department had waived fees.

“If you come into contact with ICE please remain calm and have your identification cards ready to show,” St. John said.

He also acknowledged the limits of tribal authority under Wisconsin’s Public Law 280 status.

“Legally, I cannot say we can block ICE from entering tribal lands or tribal property,” St. John said. “Wisconsin is a Public Law 280 state giving state the jurisdiction on reservation lands along with federal authorities as well.”

Still, he emphasized deterrence and solidarity.

“We will do all we can to deter them from entering our lands,” he said. “We will get through this time of absolute chaos and come out of this stronger together. Be safe, be strong, and be respectful. The Creator sees all.”

A Tribal Elder Warns Against Chaos

A tribal elder shared concerns with Rez Life Weekly, offering a sharply different perspective on how Native communities should respond.

“There have been incidences from what I hear,” the elder said. “However, much of what is happening is because there is no leadership in Minneapolis trying to cooperate to prevent it.”

The elder said he proposed creating a coordinated response involving tribal veterans, conservation officers, and law enforcement at the American Indian Center to reduce confusion and protect vulnerable people.

“People from rezes without documentation, homeless LCO and Natives could be allowed to seek protection if needed,” he said.

He cautioned against joining protests or escalating tensions.

“Sometimes leadership requires we do not become involved with the chaos that’s happening,” the elder said. “This is not our fight.”

The elder claimed he had been approached by individuals attempting to recruit him into violent action against the federal government, but refused because he said they were hell bent on overthrowing the Trump Administration and they may be violent and dangerous.

Lac Courte Oreilles Issues Safety Guidance

The Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal Governing Board issued a detailed statement saying it was closely monitoring events involving ICE in Minneapolis and across the country.

“The safety and well-being of all Tribal Members continue to be our highest priority,” the statement said. “We will do everything in our power to protect our members, reservation, government buildings, and enterprises.”

The statement went on to say, “We humbly offer our sincere condolences to all those affected by these incidents. The TGB is actively working to ensure our Tribe and Members are as safe as possible and are reviewing policies to implement access restrictions in areas which are non-public, employee only, and restricted to ensure our facilities are entitled to every legal protection possible.”

Members were advised to remain calm, request identification from agents, refuse entry without a judicial warrant, and assert their right to remain silent.

The tribe emphasized that ICE administrative warrants do not authorize entry into a home without consent. ICE agents generally need your consent to enter your residence without a warrant. They may only enter with a judicial warrant, signed by a judge, which contains information as to the place/person/property to be searched and identify the person or property to be seized, as well as the timeframe in which the search/seizure is authorized to be conducted within, the tribe added.

“Do not physically resist or flee. If questioned further, clearly state, ‘I am exercising my right to remain silent. I want to speak with an attorney.’ If you are being detained, you have the right to contact an attorney,” the statement read.

If requested, present identification once agent is verified to work with ICE. The TGB urges members to always keep identification with them and ensure identification is up to date. The TGB also directed the enrollment department to issue tribal IDs, certificates of enrollment, and certificates of Indian blood at no cost through May 31, 2026.

“In these unprecedented and uncertain times, it is essential that we remain vigilant and protect one another. We encourage everyone to stand together in solidarity to support each other spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically,” the statement read.

Community Accounts Flood Social Media

As ICE activity intensified, Native community members began sharing firsthand accounts online.

One St. Croix member living in the Twin Cities described being approached while sitting at a bus stop.

“ICE approached him yelling ‘cómo te llamas’ and kept asking him in Spanish,” the post said. “Until he said ‘I’m Native American get out of here.’ They then asked to see his tribal ID and wouldn’t leave until he provided it.”

Another person claimed ICE agents were conducting door to door operations in their neighborhood in St. Paul.

“Detaining anyone they feel like,” the post said. “They’ve been out messing with White Earth and detaining enrolled members and holding them for six plus hours. And they are very aggressive. It is definitely something for our people to be aware of and concerned for.”

Others urged calm, saying there was nothing to fear if you are a U.S. citizen. “If you are worried about being asked for an I.D., just carry an I.D.

Videos circulating online show convoys of federal vehicles entering commercial areas, adding to fear and uncertainty. One video showed a caravan of black SUV’s at the Home Depot in Woodbury.

‘I Felt Like I Was Kidnapped’

One of the most detailed firsthand accounts was reported by Amelia Schafer of Indian Country Today, involving Jose Roberto “Beto” Ramirez, a 20-year-old United States citizen and Red Lake Nation descendant.

Ramirez found himself handcuffed in the back of a blacked-out SUV less than 24 hours after Renée Good was shot and killed.

“It felt like I was kidnapped,” Ramirez told ICT.

Ramirez said he was tailed by a black SUV while driving to his aunt’s home. Fearing for his safety, he pulled into a grocery store parking lot, where video shows agents striking him in the head and face and dragging him from the vehicle.

“I was complying with them and they just started acting crazy,” Ramirez said. “They were trying to make it seem like I’m some kind of murderer.”

Ramirez said agents ignored his repeated statements that he was a U.S. citizen and a descendant of a federally recognized tribe.

He was held for more than six hours, left without food, water, or access to a restroom, and told he would be sent to federal prison. They said he was being accused of assaulting a federal agent.

As of Friday, no charges had been filed. ICE did not respond to requests for comment, according to ICT.

Nearly a day after his release, Ramirez said the experience left him shaken.

“I’m nervous to go out now,” he said. “My auntie is really traumatized. She doesn’t even want to send her kids to school.”

Other Native leaders reported similar encounters. Plains Cree activist Rachel Dionne-Thunder said ICE agents stopped and questioned her near the Powwow Grounds coffee shop.

“They don’t give you a reason,” she said. “They arrest and then they ask questions later.”

Community members gathered around her vehicle, and the agents eventually left.

Additional information regarding your rights can be found on the Native American Rights Fund website at: https://narf.org/ice-resources-2026/