CSKT issues statement of concern regarding ICE operations
Hey savvy news reader! Thanks for choosing local.
You are now reading
1 of 3 free articles.
As with other Native American tribes across the United States, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) are concerned their members could be detained by federal immigration officials.
There have been reports of Native Americans in other states who were mistaken as Latino being stopped or even held by ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement), noting the irony that they were the first people of this land.
For example, last year Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren said that several tribal citizens reported being stopped and detained by ICE officers in Arizona and New Mexico, The Associated Press reported.
“Our leadership has heard concerns expressed in the community about potential ICE activity,” Robert McDonald, CSKT communications director, said in response to questions from the Valley Journal. He shared a statement from the CSKT Tribal Council regarding ICE.
CSKT Tribal Council:
Council is aware of ICE’s actions and wanted to assure our community that our legal and law enforcement leaders are monitoring their activity so our community can receive the best protections.
On February 14, 2026, former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, wrote a “Dear Tribal Leaders” letter acknowledging the tribal concerns directed to the department related to recognition of tribal identification cards and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations.
In the letter, Secretary Noem responded to tribal concerns by noting and pledging multiple things:
• that to date there have not been any ICE operations in tribal lands;
• that ICE endeavors to respect tribal authority and partner with tribal law enforcement agencies should there be illegal aliens on tribal lands; and,
• that ICE agents recognize tribal identification cards and continue to acknowledge tribal IDs as proper and accepted identification to verify citizenship status -- although the department encouraged native people to have a driver’s license, passport, or state identification cards.
The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes join other tribal nations in expressing deep concern for any police action that might target or compromise tribal members, even if they are swept up in ICE police action inadvertently.
Further, CSKT encourages tribal members to know their rights and recommends that tribal members have an emergency plan in place should you or one of your family members be detained by ICE (www.cskt.org/ice). Contact your local law enforcement or emergency services if you see any illegal activity.
Our tribal law enforcement has an existing relationship with homeland security ICE law enforcement as well as other federal partners and will continue to work and protect the people of our homeland.
Finally, Council will engage with federal officials to see that measures are in place to prevent unnecessary conflict and any inappropriate affront to a tribal citizen’s rights to freely pass both inside and outside the United States boundaries.
Council recognizes that ICE’s execution of its mission is dynamic, and the Tribes will continue to monitor ICE’s action so that we are in the best position to support our members and tribal people in general.
