Letter to the Honorable Jeff Sessions, Attorney General of US Department of Justice - Uphold Your Responsibilities to Indian Tribes

Letter

Dear Mr. Attorney General:

We write in light of the December 2017 report from the Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) regarding the DOJ's responsibilities under the Tribal Law and Order Act (TLOA) and urge you implement the recommendations outlined in that report as expeditiously as possible.

Those living in Indian country experience a per capita rate of violent crime twice that of other racial and ethnic groups, as the report notes. According to another DOJ source, on some reservations, native women are murdered at a rate more than ten times the national average. In the face of these staggering and unacceptable statistics, we must ensure we are doing all in our power to keep American Indian and Alaska Native communities safe and to empower them to do the same.

The report confirms that DOJ has failed to uphold a number of its TLOA-mandated requirements. In particular, we find it alarming that the DOJ lacks a coordinated approach to the assistance it provides in Indian country, that United States Attorney's Offices (USAOs) do not consistently communicate or effectively coordinate with Indian tribes regarding their activities in Indian country, and that some law enforcement agents do not receive adequate training prior to working in Indian country. We cannot afford such inconsistencies and deficiencies when many tribes rely solely on USAOs to prosecute felony and misdemeanor crimes occurring in Indian country and when human lives are at stake.

We do appreciate your recently announced Task Force on Crime Reduction and Public Safety to support law enforcement and maintain public safety in Indian country. We hope the task force's listening sessions and partnerships contribute to your work in accomplishing the recommendations in the OIG report and fulfilling your TLOA mandates.

Implementing the recommendations outlined by the DOJ OIG is a crucial component of increasing public safety in Indian Country. We will continue to track your progress on the recommendations outlined in the report and look forward to your updates.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.