Indigenous Actress Detained by ICE in Shocking ID Dispute
Elaine Miles, the renowned Native American actress from Northern Exposure and Smoke Signals, has reported a disturbing encounter where she was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents who allegedly branded her official tribal identification as a forgery. The incident occurred near a bus stop in Redmond, Washington, and has raised serious questions about the recognition of tribal sovereignty.
The Confrontation at the Bus Stop
According to her social media post, Miles was walking to a bus stop near the Redmond Bear Creek Village shopping centre on her way to Target when four masked men in vests labelled 'ICE' emerged from two unmarked black SUVs. They demanded her identification. Miles presented her ID, issued by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) in Oregon.
One agent immediately dismissed the document, calling it "fake." Another allegedly reinforced this, stating, "Anyone can make that." Fearing they might be bounty hunters, Miles noted that the agents refused to provide their names or badge numbers during the detention.
When she pointed to the enrollment office number printed on the back of the ID and urged them to verify its authenticity, they ignored her request. The situation escalated when Miles attempted to call the office herself, prompting the agents to try and seize her phone. At that moment, a fifth agent whistled from one of the vehicles, and the group abruptly returned to their SUVs and drove away.
A Pattern of Questioning Tribal Documentation
Miles revealed that this was not an isolated incident for her family. She stated that both her son and her uncle have been previously detained by ICE agents who also questioned the legitimacy of their tribal IDs before eventually releasing them.
This event coincides with a reported increase in ICE enforcement activity. On 4 November, KING 5 reported recent arrests in Redmond and Issaquah. The agency's regional director has reportedly set a new goal of 30 daily arrests across Oregon, Washington, and Alaska, which doubles the target set for 2024.
The series of arrests prompted the Redmond City Council to take action, voting to shut off Flock Safety license-plate cameras over concerns they could be used for future immigration enforcement, though The Seattle Times notes there is no evidence they were utilised in these specific arrests.
The Sovereign Status of the CTUIR
The legitimacy of the ID presented by Miles is not in question from a legal or historical standpoint. The Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission confirms that the CTUIR is a unified tribal government comprised of three tribal nations: the Umatilla, Cayuse, and Walla Walla.
These tribes signed a treaty with the United States government in 1855, ceding approximately 6.4 million acres of their ancestral homelands in what is now northeastern Oregon and southeastern Washington. Today, the CTUIR has around 3,100 enrolled citizens, with nearly half residing on or near the Umatilla Indian Reservation, which is also home to members of other tribes and non-Native residents.
