By GRAHAM LEE BREWER

The president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe in South Dakota has called for the immediate release of tribal members who were detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents last week at a homeless encampment in Minnesota.

Three of the four Oglala Sioux Tribe members arrested in Minneapolis on Friday have been transferred to an ICE facility at Fort Snelling, President Frank Star Comes Out said in a statement. This statement was released alongside a memorandum sent to federal immigration authorities.

“The Oglala Sioux Tribe’s memorandum makes clear that ‘tribal citizens are not aliens’ and are ‘categorically outside immigration jurisdiction,’” Star Comes Out said. “Enrolled tribal members are citizens of the United States by statute and citizens of the Oglala Sioux Nation by treaty.”

Details surrounding the circumstances that led to their detention remain unclear. In the memorandum addressed to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Star Comes Out stated that when the tribal nation reached out to the agency, they were provided only the first names of the detained men. Homeland Security refused to release further information unless the tribe agreed to “enter into an immigration agreement with ICE.”

DHS did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Tuesday evening.

Star Comes Out emphasized that the tribe has no plans to enter into an agreement with ICE.

In a post on his Facebook page, Star Comes Out revealed that the four detained tribal members are experiencing homelessness and were living under a bridge in Minneapolis. One of the members has since been released from detention.

In the press release, he demanded full information on the status of the three men still in detention, the release of all tribal citizens currently in ICE custody, and a meeting between the tribe and the government to address these concerns.
https://www.ocregister.com/2026/01/13/immigration-enforcement-tribal-members/