South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has been banned from visiting ten percent of her own state’s lands after she accused some tribal leaders of benefiting from Mexican drug cartels.
The Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Council voted Tuesday to formally ban the governor, 52, from its reservation over “racially charged” statements she made in March during town meetings.
Standing Rock is the third tribal nation to ban the governor after the Oglala Sioux Tribe banished her from its reservation in February and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe banned her last week.
“Governor Kristi Noem’s wild and irresponsible attempt to connect tribal leaders and fathers to Mexican drug cartels is a sad reflection of her fear-based politics that does nothing to bring people together to solve problems.” “said Tribal Chairwoman Janet Alkire.
“Instead of making uninformed and unsubstantiated claims, Noem should work with tribal leaders to increase funding and resources for tribal law enforcement and education,” he added.
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has been banned from visiting ten percent of her own state’s lands after she accused some tribal leaders of benefiting from Mexican drug cartels.
Standing Rock is the third tribal nation to ban entry onto tribal lands after the Oglala Sioux Tribe banished Noem from its reservation in February and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe banned her last week.
Noem sparked outrage among Native Americans after she accused tribal leaders of being allied with Mexican drug cartels last month.
“We have some tribal leaders who I think personally benefit from the presence of the cartels here, and that’s why they attack me every day,” he said.
He also accused Native American parents of not being involved in their children’s lives and blamed them for poor academic performance in tribal areas.
“My next step would be to do what I can to get a tribe involved with me to help their children be more successful,” Noem said.
‘Because they live with unemployment of 80% to 90%. Their children have no hope. They don’t have parents to show up and help them.
“They have a tribal council or a president who is more focused on a political agenda than helping someone’s life look better.”
Her comments angered tribal leaders, and five tribes, including the Standing Rock Sioux, Oglala Sioux, Cheyenne River Sioux, Rosebud Sioux and Crow Creek Sioux, demanded an apology from Noem.
He did not apologize, but instead issued a statement last week calling on tribal leaders to root out the cartels.
“I call on all of our tribal leaders to banish the cartels from tribal lands,” Noem said in the news release.
‘Cartels instigate drug addiction, murder, rape, human trafficking and much more in tribal communities across the country, including South Dakota.
“I will work with you to sign law enforcement agreements to help you immediately, respect your sovereignty and uphold tribal laws,” he said.
The same day he issued the statement, the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Council voted 12-0 to ban him from visiting tribal lands.
‘This person has made a lot of accusations about the tribes, about the cartel, about the council representatives who are in bed with the cartel, things like that. It’s all false information,’ said District Five Representative Robert Walters, who introduced the motion.
Before the vote, Noem showed up at Pe’ Sla’s quarterly meeting uninvited and unannounced, according to council members.
‘Mister. President, I think there has to be some kind of policy in place for her to show up at these tribal meetings. “She can’t just come in and do her thing,” Walters said.
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Chairman Ryman LeBeau said of Noem: ‘The governor of South Dakota speaks gossip and lies about our Lakota students, their parents and our tribal councils.
“The SD Governor’s statements made on March 13, 2024 perpetuate stereotypes and misconceptions, which are inaccurate and false.”
The Oglala Sioux Tribe was the first Southern Dekota tribe to ban the Republican after comments he made about the growing crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border.
She was “banished” from the tribe’s Pine Ridge Reservation after she said she wanted to send barbed wire and security personnel to Texas to help deter immigrants crossing into the United States.
Her comments angered tribal leaders, and five tribes, including the Standing Rock Sioux, Oglala Sioux, Cheyenne River Sioux, Rosebud Sioux and Crow Creek Sioux, demanded an apology from Noem. Pictured: Janet Alkire, President of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe (left) and Ryman LeBeau, President of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (right).
Oglala Sioux Tribe Chairman Frank Star Comes Out said: ‘Due to the safety of the Oyate, effective immediately, you are hereby banished from the homelands of the Oglala Sioux Tribe!’
Pictured: Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. The tribe has banned Gov. Kristi Noem from approaching its land following comments she made about the escalating crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Tribal Chairman Frank Star Comes Out accused Noem of using the border crisis to help get Trump re-elected.
He said: ‘Due to the safety of the Oyate, effective immediately, you are hereby banished from the homelands of the Oglala Sioux tribe!’
Speaking of immigrants coming to the United States, the tribe’s leader added: “They do not need to be locked in cages, separated from their children like during the Trump administration, or cut with barbed wire provided by, of all places, Dakota from the south.’
Noem said a ‘gang’ calling itself the Ghost Dancers is murdering people on the Pine Ridge Reservation. But the leader was deeply offended by this.
The governor previously said: ‘Members of the cartels are committing murders on the Pine Ridge Reservation and in Rapid City, and a gang called the ‘Ghost Dancers’ is affiliated with these cartels.
“They have managed to recruit tribal members to join their criminal activity.”
The tribal leader said the Ghost Dance is one of the “most sacred ceremonies” of the Oglala Sioux in their community, and said his reference to it “was used with blatant disrespect and is an insult to our Oyate.” .
In response to the ban, Noem spokesman Ian Fury said: ‘Bailing Governor Noem doesn’t solve the problem. Call on all our tribal leaders to banish the cartels from tribal lands.’