The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Council banished Noem on April 2, while the Oglala Sioux Tribe, based in South Dakota, had done the same in February. The Standing Rock reservation extends across the borders of North Dakota and South Dakota.
Alkire stated in her statement, which was shared on March 22 to Standing Rock’s account on X, formerly known as Twitter, that instead of making uninformed and unsubstantiated claims, Noem should collaborate with tribal leaders to enhance funding and resources for tribal law enforcement and education.
During a hearing on Wednesday, the president of the Assiniboine (Nakoda) and Gros Ventre (Aaniih) Nations of the Fort Belknap Indian Community in northern Montana, Jeffrey Stiffarm, expressed his concerns to the House Committee on Natural Resources. According to Stiffarm, drug cartels have been deliberately focusing on Indian country due to a dangerous mix of factors such as rural terrain, a history of addiction, and limited law enforcement resources.
During his opening statements, Stiffarm placed the blame for the drug cartel crisis on the federal government. He emphasized that the FBI only takes action on the reservation when there is a death or serious crime. Stiffarm further revealed that a tribal leader from Montana refused to testify before the House committee due to receiving death threats from cartel members.
According to South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, tribal leaders need to take immediate action and expel the Mexican drug cartels from tribal lands. In a statement to Newsweek, Noem emphasized the urgent need to address the crimes committed by these cartels, including murders, rapes, and drug addiction. She expressed concern for the communities living in constant fear and enduring unimaginable tragedies. Noem believes that ignoring the truth about the suffering will not lead to any solutions and that decisive action is necessary.
According to her, it may be appealing to the leftist media, but in actuality, it serves no purpose.
Noem’s office made an announcement on Thursday about a new initiative aimed at addressing the shortage of law enforcement officers on Indigenous land. The initiative focuses on training tribal law enforcement officers to tackle this issue effectively.
South Dakota’s nine reservations are all affected by this situation, which is why we are taking the initiative to train more officers as soon as we can,” stated Noem in a joint statement with state Attorney General Marty Jackley.
Jackley and Noem have written a letter to Algin Young, the police chief of Oglala Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, stating that they plan to conduct a new training program in South Dakota this summer. Currently, potential law enforcement officers undergo a 13-week training program in New Mexico.
“We are excited to collaborate with you in order to achieve this groundbreaking opportunity and deliver much-needed law enforcement services to the communities in South Dakota,” concluded the letter.
