The president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe has issued a forceful demand for the immediate release of tribal members who are being held in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody. This follows the arrest of four individuals in Minneapolis last week.
Tribal Sovereignty at the Heart of the Dispute
In a strongly worded statement released on Tuesday, 14th January 2026, President Frank Star Comes Out condemned the detention. He confirmed that three of the four tribal members arrested on Friday have been transferred to an ICE facility at Fort Snelling. The fourth individual has since been released.
The tribe's position is unequivocal. In a memorandum sent to federal immigration authorities and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Star Comes Out stated, "The Oglala Sioux Tribe's memorandum makes clear that 'tribal citizens are not aliens' and are 'categorically outside immigration jurisdiction.'" He emphasised that enrolled members are citizens of the United States by statute and citizens of the Oglala Sioux Nation by treaty.
Lack of Information and Refusal to Cooperate
The situation has been exacerbated by a lack of transparency from federal authorities. President Star Comes Out revealed that when the tribal nation contacted the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), officials provided only the first names of the detained men. Homeland Security refused to release further information unless the tribe "entered into an immigration agreement with ICE."
The tribe has flatly rejected this condition. Star Comes Out said the Oglala Sioux Tribe has no plans to enter such an agreement with ICE. As of Tuesday evening, the DHS had not responded to requests for comment on the matter.
Calls for Action and Meeting
According to a post on the president's Facebook page, the four detained individuals were experiencing homelessness and living under a bridge in Minneapolis at the time of their arrest. The specific circumstances leading to their detention remain unclear.
In his press release, President Star Comes Out laid out three clear demands: information on the status of the three men still in detention, the release of all tribal citizens in ICE custody, and a formal meeting between the tribe and the federal government. The case highlights ongoing tensions between tribal sovereignty and federal immigration enforcement practices.
