- South Dakota tribe bans Governor Kristi Noem from Pine Ridge Reservation following controversial remarks about border security and alleged cartel infiltration.
- Tribe President accuses Noem of using border issue for political gain and disrespecting Native American traditions.
- Noem responds by expressing her commitment to working together on border and tribal land issues, while facing ongoing criticism for her stance on border security.
Additional Coverage:
A South Dakota tribe has announced a ban on Republican Governor Kristi Noem from the Pine Ridge Reservation. This comes after Noem made comments about sending razor wire and security personnel to Texas to deter immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border, as well as claiming that cartels were infiltrating the state’s reservations.
In a statement addressed to Noem, Tribe President Frank Star Comes Out said, “Due to the safety of the Oyate, effective immediately, you are hereby Banished from the homelands of the Oglala Sioux Tribe!” Star Comes Out accused Noem of using the border issue to help Trump’s re-election campaign and boost her chances of becoming his running mate.
Star Comes Out also expressed offense at Noem’s remarks regarding the Ghost Dancers gang, which she claimed was affiliated with border-crossing cartels on the Pine Ridge Reservation. He stated that the Ghost Dance is a sacred ceremony for the Oglala Sioux tribe and using it disrespectfully was insulting to their tribe.
The tribal leader emphasized that drug and human trafficking were occurring throughout South Dakota and surrounding states, not just on reservations. He stated that reservations should not be blamed for drugs ending up in various cities and towns, even during the Trump administration.
Noem responded to the ban, stating that she was focused on working together to solve the issues at the border and on tribal lands. She expressed her willingness to build a relationship with Native American tribes in the state.
In November, Star Comes Out declared a state of emergency on the Pine Ridge Reservation due to increasing crime. The federal government has a treaty duty to support law enforcement on the reservation, according to a judge’s ruling last year.
Noem has deployed National Guard troops to the Mexican border multiple times, and she has criticized President Biden’s handling of the border crisis. In 2021, she faced criticism for accepting a $1 million donation from a Republican donor to cover the cost of a deployment of National Guard troops to the border.