Latest news with #MissingandMurdered
Miami Herald
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
As Trump administration floods the zone to combat crime in Indian Country, wariness prevails
MORTON, Minn. – Sitting on a bench surrounded by Lower Sioux Community members, Ana Negrete presented two industrial-sized bins to the tribe's leaders in a somber exchange. "I hope this helps," Negrete said quietly, gesturing at black crates filled with items she wishes they'd never have to use: tools to help find missing Indigenous people. Negrete leads the state's Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR) Office, a first-of-its-kind effort to address the disproportionately high rates of violent crime against Indigenous people. The kits delivered this month are part of a broader strategy involving tribal, local and state resources - and now, a promised surge in federal reinforcements. Last month, the Trump administration announced it would boost the FBI's "Operation Not Forgotten" with more agents to swarm Indian Country, including in Minnesota, in the "longest and most intense national deployment" of FBI investigators to date aimed at solving crimes against Indigenous people. In Minnesota, the pledge is prompting hope - but also deep skepticism. Some question whether the government will follow through on its promises; others wonder if the long-term solution has to come from within, given that many crimes involve victims and perpetrators from the same community. "It's a bit ironic actually. It's no secret that the Native American community in Minnesota is highly critical of President [Donald] Trump," said Irene Folstrom, a former Department of Public Safety tribal relations director who worked with the MMIR Office. FBI surge The latest phase of Operation Not Forgotten will see a boost of agents, totaling 60, the third deployment since the initiative began in 2023. Last year, there were closer to 50. "The additional resources from Operation Not Forgotten along with our continued partnership with local, state, federal, and tribal agencies will bolster the efforts of our dedicated personnel to bring cases closer to resolution," said Alvin Winston Sr., special agent in charge of Minneapolis' FBI office. The operation was created after the start of the federal government's Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives, which Trump established in his first term through an executive order. Since its start, Operation Not Forgotten has helped with more than 500 cases resulting in 52 arrests and 25 charges, according to the Department of Justice. The FBI will partner with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and tribal law enforcement agencies. Cases will be referred to U.S. Attorney's Offices for prosecution. Officials with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Minnesota said the operation supplements their efforts in recent years to prosecute crimes and "better serve" Indian Country, including opening an office in Duluth. An assistant U.S. attorney has been placed in the Duluth office and a victim witness specialist in Bemidji. "The U.S. Attorney's Office remains deeply committed to pursuing justice for our tribal communities," said acting U.S. Attorney Lisa Kirkpatrick. "We are grateful to the Department of Justice for their commitment to Operation Not Forgotten and its surge of much-needed FBI resources to our tribal lands." Agents have been stationed in Minneapolis and Bemidji for years as part of the Bureau of Indian Affairs' Missing and Murdered Unit. Shawn Carr, an advocate in Duluth who's held annual news conferences for Sheila St. Clair since her disappearance in 2015, said missing persons cases in particular are a multifaceted issue. But the extra national resources "definitely helps," Carr said. However, for each case solved, or yet to be solved after years of searching, more missing person reports are filed. Kits to assist Beyond the influx of FBI agents, Negrete hopes the bins she's sent to tribes will supplement search efforts across the state. The kits are filled with a range of materials, from the practical (marking flags), to the technical (handheld GPS map) to the spiritual (sage). The office has now given out four kits to tribes across Minnesota, reserving one for the MMIR Office. The rate of missing and murdered Indigenous people remains elevated: While the community makes up 1% of Minnesota's population, it comprises nearly 9% of missing person cases. The MMIR Office reports having 20 active missing person and homicides cases. Last year, 10 people whose missing person cases were filed to the office were found. About 4% of people killed in Minnesota last year were Indigenous, the office's latest data show. This year, there's been more high-profile violence: A member of the Native gang is accused of shooting five Indigenous people, four fatally, earlier this month. Negrete said the need for the kits became apparent during a search for a 47-year-old man who went missing in November 2022 in the area of the Mille Lacs Reservation. The snow reached the waists of the search party. Sharp tree branches got in their way. "We just weren't prepared," Negrete recalled. The office provided its first kit to the Mille Lacs Band following the search. Each cost $13,000, totaling $65,000 for the five kits. To Negrete, the kits provide a tangible solution to a problem that can quickly become bogged down by bureaucracy and jurisdictional snafus. The MMIR Office has just four staffers, she said, making conducting searches across the state difficult. Negrete acknowledges the kits aren't a cure-all, but hopes they provide a balm to families whose only path forward is to scour the land for any clue. "Searching is a way for them to actively do something at a time when they feel powerless," Negrete said. A search within Some remain critical of state and federal efforts, saying they can be seen as performative instead of real boots-on-the-ground work. Those critics also say it's up to people, often within the Indigenous community, to stop withholding information on active cases. "It's time for people to start opening up and holding your own relatives accountable," said Lissa Yellow Bird-Chase, who founded in 2013 the Sahnish Scouts, a grassroots effort responding to disappearances of people in the Bakken oilfields of North Dakota where she lives. "As long as we keep blaming the white guys or the oil field people or whatever, then that makes an excuse for us not to look at ourselves," said Yellow Bird-Chase, 56, a member of the Arikara tribe. Her independent work brings her to place across the country helping Indigenous families find loved ones, including her own. She recently spent a week in Bemidji knocking on doors and tracking down information on Nevaeh Kingbird, who was 15 when she went missing in 2021, and Jeremy Jourdain, who was 17 when he disappeared in 2016. The Native teens went missing from the same neighborhood in Bemidji that Yellow Bird-Chase searched with her two golden retriever cadaver dogs. She's done this before over the years, along with searches on the Red Lake and White Earth reservations. But investigations stalled after the recent quadruple fatal shooting. She left Bemidji to help another family in South Dakota and allow time for Minnesota to mourn. "This might be the eye opener that people need," she said. Yellow Bird-Chase wants to see more searches instead of marches. Instead of gathering masses to protest and giving out signs to hold, she said groups of volunteers should be given neon vests and sent to knock on doors, areas to comb. Agencies tasked with solving cases are duplicating services, yet not producing results, Yellow-Bird Chase said. In 2021, the same year the state's MMIR Office began, BIA started a Missing and Murdered Unit (MMU). The unit has two agents in its Minneapolis field office and one agent in Bemidji. MMU has five active cases in Minnesota, including Kingbird and Jourdain. The MMIR Office is given $774,000 from the state, an increase from $500,000 at its inception. The office also generated $92,000 in revenue from the sale of nearly 3,500 special MMIR license places, money that will be steered into the reward fund once it launches. But Folstrom and Yellow Bird-Chase are critical of the MMIR Office still not having rewards for information from the public. Folstrom, who is enrolled in the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and considers Jourdain a relative, said it's unclear how the office is measuring outcomes of its work. "Show the intended beneficiaries what the results are," she said, "because we're out here looking around and not seeing any." Negrete countered that the search kits are just "one piece of the puzzle," and the root causes behind the missing and murdered Indigenous person epidemic "are complex and require a complex response." "The MMIR Office has a staff of four to serve the entire state and we do this work alone. The families cannot do it alone. Even law enforcement cannot do it alone," she said. Yellow Bird-Chase said Operation Not Forgotten has potential, but she's "not impressed until I'm impressed." Federal agents need to build rapport and trust in Native communities to counteract a historically fraught relationship. "We're in a Stockholm relationship with the government," she said. Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Cision Canada
05-05-2025
- Health
- Cision Canada
Statement - Ministers Anandasangaree, Hajdu and Guilbeault issue statement on Red Dress Day 2025 Français
Taking care The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Crisis Line is a national, toll-free, 24/7 crisis call line that provides support for anyone who requires emotional assistance related to the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit and gender-diverse people. For assistance, call 1-844-413-6649. Trauma-informed support is also available to all those impacted by the ongoing crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit and gender-diverse people through the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Health and Cultural Support Program. The program funds access to cultural support (e.g., Elders, Knowledge Holders, and Traditional Healers), emotional support (e.g., community-based health workers, peer supports), and registered mental health counsellors (e.g., psychologists and social workers). OTTAWA, TRADITIONAL UNCEDED ALGONQUIN TERRITORY, ON, May 5, 2025 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs, the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services, and the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Culture and Identity and Minister responsible for WAGE, issued the following statement: "On Red Dress Day, we honour every First Nations, Inuit, and Métis woman, girl, and 2SLGBTQI+ person who has gone missing or been murdered in Canada. We recognize the strength and courage of families, survivors, and communities who continue to advocate for the dignity and justice of their loved ones. Also known as the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQI+ People, Red Dress Day was first commemorated in 2010 and was inspired by Métis artist Jaime Black-Morsette's REDress Project—an art installation featuring red dresses hung in public spaces as a visual reminder of the number of Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit and 2SLGBTQI+ people who are missing or have been murdered in Canada. Violence continues to disproportionately impact Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people. This day raises awareness of this national crisis and offers us the opportunity to reflect on the efforts made—and the work still left to be done to address the deep-rooted, systemic issues and help build a safer and more equitable society. The Government of Canada's efforts to tackle root causes are guided by the National Action Plan, the Federal Pathway to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People, which is reported on annually, and the National Inquiry's Calls for Justice. Examples of these efforts over the past year include initiatives like the third annual National Indigenous-Federal-Provincial-Territorial Meeting on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTIQ+ People, the first-ever Red Dress Alert pilot in Manitoba and projects such as the Inuvialuit Family Wellness Centre and the Indigenous Victim and Family Liaison Program. By partnering with Indigenous survivors, families, leaders, and organizations, as well as with provinces and territories, we are addressing the long-standing and emerging issues related to this national crisis. Today we honour the lives lost, recognize the strength of families and communities, and recommit to building a future where all Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people can live in safety and security, free from fear." Join the conversation about Indigenous Peoples in Canada: SOURCE Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Operation Not Forgotten' will add resources in missing, murdered Indigenous people crisis
The U.S. Department of Justice has announced the next phase of a multi-year initiative to address the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Operation Not Forgotten, which assigns FBI personnel to key offices serving Native communities, was started in 2023 as part of the government's Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives, also known as Operation Lady Justice. The task force was established by an executive order in 2019 during President Donald Trump's first term. This year's deployment will be the FBI's longest and most intensive to date to address the MMIP epidemic, according to the agency. The FBI will rotate 60 people to field offices in 10 cities, including Phoenix and Albuquerque, for 90-day temporary duty assignments over six months. FBI staff will provide extra hands to address major crimes in Indian Country. The agency will also partner with the Missing and Murdered Unit of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, as well as tribal law enforcement agencies across jurisdictions. 'This deployment will help push things along to help us be better and more effective, and help close cases better and sooner,' said Jose A. Perez, special agent in charge of the FBI's Phoenix field office. The agency will also collect and analyze more data to help identify trouble spots where more resources can be directed. The task force will bring 11 agents over a six-month period to Arizona, supplying additional staffing resources, the latest forensic evidence processing technology and analytical expertise, he said. The U.S. Attorney's Offices are also part of the task force and will aggressively prosecute Indian Country cases. Searching: FBI releases names of 170 missing Indigenous people in New Mexico and on the Navajo Nation One recent MMIP case that the FBI helped solve involved a 32-year-old Navajo woman named Jamie Yazzie, who had been reported missing from her Navajo Nation home in 2019. Two years later, her remains were found on neighboring Hopi Tribe lands. Yazzie's family pursued justice for another three years before an arrest was made. In 2023, Tre C. James was convicted of her murder. But while MMIP activists celebrated that conviction, more cases are awaiting justice. And some want to remind the federal government to respect tribal sovereignty. Valaura Imus-Nahsonhoya, a victim advocate and MMIP coordinator for Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, said while she is excited for the new devotion of resources, it is important for the federal government to continue to respect the authority of tribal jurisdictions. 'I hope that with the increase of these agents coming into Arizona, we will have the manpower and the capacity to be able to help these families,' she said. 'But we also need to ensure that they are working cooperatively with tribes, with our county, our city municipalities.' Imus-Nahsonhoya said communication between Indian Country and federal authorities is 'not perfect' and the FBI could improve the dialogue by keeping families up to date on investigations. 'Our families want some kind of a response,' she said 'Even if it's just 'we are continuing to investigate. We currently don't have any updates, but as soon as we know, we will notify you.' Sometimes that's all they're asking for.' With a renewed focus on responding to cold cases, Imus-Nahsonhoya said it's important not to lose sight of the need for preventative measures — promoting education and awareness, providing people with jobs and housing — so these tragedies are less likely to occur in the first place. 'We've made some small moves to where some agencies have made some amendments or modifications to the language of criteria funding criteria to include prevention,' she said. 'However, it's still not where we would want it to be.' Raising voices: Death of Apache teen Emily Pike creating resurgence in missing Indigenous people movement Perez said the FBI is part of the Safe Trails Task Forces, which includes federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners investigating crimes in roughly 200 tribal communities nationwide. Operation Not Forgotten will also include a victim-centered approach to cases using victim service programs. 'We will be providing resources to families and victims,' Perez said. This and other such task forces and interagency partnerships are sorely needed. The BIA's Office of Justice Services estimated that some 4,200 missing and murdered cases are currently unsolved. The FBI said that, as of October 2025, its Indian Country program was dealing with about 4,300 open investigations including more than 900 death cases, 1,000 incidents of child abuse and more than 500 domestic violence and adult sexual abuse investigations. That number is likely to rise as task force personnel fan out to tribal communities to gather data on stagnant cases. 'Many tribes don't have the capacity to report cases,' Perez said. Also, Perez said the task force hopes that adding agents and analysts to FBI offices even temporarily will help free up capacity to work on the agency's heavy caseload and bring more cases to closure − and perpetrators to justice. 'We're putting our money where our mouth is.' Debra Krol reports on Indigenous communities at the confluence of climate, culture and commerce in Arizona and the Intermountain West. Reach Krol at Follow her on X, formerly Twitter @debkrol. Coverage of Indigenous issues at the intersection of climate, culture and commerce is supported by the Catena Foundation. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Justice Department expands help for missing and murdered Indigenous People
