Shores further described the process for developing new missing and murdered case protocols as one that is being driven by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and by the Cherokee Nation, not the U.S. government. But as the current chair of the Native American Issues Subcommittee of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee, which focuses on Indian Country issues at the Department of Justice (DOJ), he vowed to keep the issue on the radar as the Trump era comes to an end. “I think we have the obligation to do so, not just as part of our trust responsibility but as men and women of law enforcement and who are of a community that has to take care of our missing persons and families of those victims,” said Shores. In September, Attorney General William Barr traveled to the Cherokee Nation to discuss a wide range of Indian Country issues, including missing and murdered cases. He also learned more about the impacts of the historic U.S. Supreme Court decision in McGirt v. Oklahoma, which confirmed the existence of the reservation promised to the Muscogee (Creek) Nation by treaty. At the time of the September 30 visit, Barr snubbed Creek leaders by not meeting with them in person. But he did invite the tribe to Washington, D.C., where Chief Hill eventually participated in a follow-up at DOJ headquarters on October 23.The first step in achieving justice for missing and murdered Native Americans was acknowledging the injustice of any historical indifference to or neglect of these tragic cases. Now, it is time for action to tackle this crisis head-on. #MMIP https://t.co/dtdquNX4zy
— U.S. Attorney Shores (@USAttyShores) November 23, 2020
With Trump heading out of office, Barr will soon be out of a job as well. He will have led DOJ for less than two years, during which he visited the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes on the Flathead Reservation in Montana in November 2019. He also met with Alaska Native leaders in May 2019. Under Barr’s tenure, the Trump administration launched Operation Lady Justice in November 2019. The group has looking into the crisis of missing and murdered Native people, with an initial report due before the end of this month. But since the task force consists solely of federal officials — including U.S. Attorney Shores — advocates for Native women have criticized its limited focus. A promise to include more tribal input went unfulfilled as the group conducted all of its listening sessions and consultations virtually, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has impacted Indian Country at disproportionate rates. “The Operation Lady Justice task force was only made up of federal employees and political appointees,” Elizabeth Carr, the Senior Native Affairs Advisor at the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center, pointed out during a November 18 event hosted by Crushing Colonialism, a non-profit Indigenous media organization. By failing to formally include tribal voices and those most affected by missing and murdered cases, Carr believes the Trump administration’s efforts to address the crisis have come up short. In comparison, Carr said Native women are looking forward to the implementation of two new U.S. laws whose provisions were drafted with direct input from Indian Country. “The reason this one is different is that it actually includes tribal leaders and tribal advocates,” Carr, a citizen of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, said of S.227, also known as Savanna’s Act, and S.982, the Not Invisible Act, both of which became law on October 10. In particular, Carr noted that the Not Invisible Act requires DOJ and the Department of the Interior to work with survivors and families of those affected by missing and murdered cases. She described the forthcoming effort as a step in the right direction. “We’re hopeful that this task force will come up with some real concrete action items that will be functional and will actually make a difference in Indian Country,” Carr said of the commission that will be established by S.982. “Our hope is that in the next coming administration, we’ll be able to assist the DOJ and the Department of the Interior with the implementation,” Carr said during the Crushing Colonialism virtual seminar.A terrific day in Tulsa as we announced a pilot program w/ the US Attorney’s offices and the Cherokee Nation to coordinate our efforts in MMIP cases. Missing and Murdered does not mean forgotten. We will do more for #MMIP and this is a great step. #OneMvskoke pic.twitter.com/0YjQGS5nAq
— The Muscogee Nation (@MuscogeeNation) November 23, 2020
Oklahoma is the first of six states to pilot a Tribal Community Response Plan for #missingandmurderedindigenouswomen & children cases. Cherokee Nation is a partner w/ @USAttyShores & Kuester to develop coordinated plans to bring missing & murdered Natives back to their community. pic.twitter.com/KrdvafS22W
— Cherokee Nation (@CherokeeNation) November 23, 2020
Note: Acee Agoyo of Indianz.Com serves as a board member for Crushing Colonialism. It is a volunteer, non-paid position.
Rep. Haaland statement on Native American Heritage Month (November 2, 2020)
Operation Lady Justice comments due by end of week (October 28, 2020)
Rep. Markwayne Mullin: The silent crisis of the missing and murdered (October 22, 2020)
People’s World: Another Indigenous woman’s murder still unsolved (October 19, 2020)
Sen. Hoeven praises signing of Savanna’s Act into law (October 12, 2020)
‘A historic day’: #MMIW legislation finally signed into law (October 12, 2020)
White House statement on #MMIW legislation (October 12, 2020)
Rep. Deb Haaland (D-New Mexico) #MMIW #NotInvisible (October 12, 2020)
Leaders of Navajo Nation hail ‘historic day’ with #MMIW legislation (October 12, 2020)
Rep. Haaland welcomes official signing of #MMIW legislation (October 12, 2020)
Sen. Cortez Masto and Sen. Murkowski celebrate #MMIW bills becoming law (October 12, 2020)
Native Sun News Today: MMIW advocate continues efforts (October 9, 2020)
Gabe Galanda: The forgotten plight of the disenrolled in Indian Country (October 6, 2020)
StrongHearts Native Helpline: October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (October 1, 2020)
Native Sun News Today: Congress approves bills to address MMIW crisis (October 1, 2020)
Rep. Haaland (D-New Mexico) celebrates passage of MMIW legislation (September 30, 2020)
Trump administration deals with fallout from tribal victory at Supreme Court (September 30, 2020)
Cronkite News: Congress takes action for missing and murdered in Indian Country (September 28, 2020)
S.982 | Not Invisible Act | 116th Congress #MMIW #MMIP #NotInvisible (September 24, 2020)
Savanna’s Act | S.227 | 116th Congress #MMIW (September 24, 2020)
Indian Country bills crawl to final approval in busy election cycle (September 22, 2020)
Sen. John Hoeven hails passage of Indian Country legislation (September 22, 2020)
Indian bills on House schedule for week of September 21, 2020 (September 20, 2020)
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