Tensions are rising in Wisconsin as tribal leaders express concern over federal immigration enforcement actions affecting Native American citizens in Minnesota. This unease comes in response to the Trump administration’s intensified immigration policies, which have led to several Native Americans being stopped or detained by federal agents.
Jon Greendeer, the president of the Ho-Chunk Nation, conveyed the anxiety of his community members during a conversation on WPR’s “Wisconsin Today.” Greendeer noted the proximity of these incidents to the Ho-Chunk tribal headquarters in Black River Falls, located about 150 miles away from Minneapolis. “They’re scared,” Greendeer stated. “This is not a safe America, the way ICE has presented themselves.”
Tribal communities across Wisconsin are keeping a vigilant eye on these developments and advising their members to carry tribal ID cards and other identification documents. Greendeer highlighted the concept of “triple citizenship” for Native people, which encompasses U.S. citizenship, state residency, and tribal membership. “We don’t have to justify who we are to any further extent than what our legal IDs would provide,” he asserted, advising members to “know your rights and be calm, but be affirming” if approached by immigration authorities.
In response to the heightened enforcement, the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe took proactive measures by traveling to Minneapolis to issue ID cards to enrolled members residing in the Twin Cities. This move is part of a broader initiative by tribal governments in Wisconsin to ensure that their members have the necessary identification.
Over the past year, nearly 1,000 individuals were arrested by ICE in Wisconsin. This uptick in enforcement has been accompanied by controversial agreements, known as 287(g) agreements, between local law enforcement departments and ICE, which empower local officers to conduct immigration operations. Greendeer voiced his frustration over the lack of communication from local counties and federal agencies before entering these agreements. “The only outreach I’ve seen the Department of Homeland Security do is to basically put a carrot on a stick, provide a lot of money, a lot of funding for tribal communities to expand their detention facilities to harbor people who are undocumented,” he noted.
Ensuring the safety of his people remains Greendeer’s primary concern, which translates to a firm stance against cooperation with ICE. “I know exactly what their agenda is,” he declared. “They are not welcome in Ho-Chunk country at all.”
Editor’s note: The featured image of this article was updated on Feb. 7.
