Letter to Debra Haaland, Secretary of the Interior - We Need More Law Enforcement, Resources to Address MMIW Crisis in Montana
Letter
Dear Secretary Haaland:
The tribal nations of Montana have seen violent crime and substance abuse reach a level that
surpasses Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) law enforcement's ability to sufficiently respond. I request
that BIA hire and transfer more law enforcement personnel to Montana to assist with providing
security in our communities.
As you are aware, Indian Country is fighting an ongoing crisis of missing and murdered
indigenous women (MMIW). Tribal members make up 6.7% of Montana's population, yet are 26%
of our missing persons cases. Our state's Indian Reservations are hurting, and tribal leadership find
themselves desperate for additional resources to help mitigate these crises that occur all too often.
You recently made a statement regarding the ongoing MMIW crisis and how you "grieve for so
many Indigenous women" who have not been given the same platform as the heartbreaking Gabby
Petito case. I agree, and Montana needs the Administration to fulfill its responsibility to provide
adequate resources to protect these communities if we are to make any progress in this fight.
While the Tribal nations found in Montana are sovereign nations, the United States
Government's treaty responsibilities to ensure tribes' safety and security remains intact, and must be
accounted for. As you know, MMIW Bike-Run USA 2021 participants ended their trek with a
meeting with Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, Bryan Newland. During the meeting, Blackfeet
Nation Chairman Tim Davis and Fort Belknap Indian Community Councilman Jeff StiffArm
discussed the need for additional resources, sharing their own painful personal stories of loss, failures
to investigate and conditions exacerbated by the pandemic. I urge you to ensure that our tribes
receive the additional resources that are required to make sure their fellow tribal members are healthy and safe. Public safety is a vital component to the well-being of any society, and right now we have the opportunity to better equip tribes with the tools they need to keep their people out of harm's way.
Thank you for your time and attention. I look forward to your prompt response.
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