South Dakota Tribe Bans Governor From Reservation

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Facts

  • South Dakota's Oglala Sioux Tribe has banned Gov. Kristi Noem (R) from the Pine Ridge Reservation, located in the state's southwestern corner, for her comments about curbing immigration at the US-Mexico border.1
  • Frank Star Comes Out, the tribe's president, on Friday accused Noem of 'blatantly disrespect[ing]' one of the most sacred ceremonies of his people — the Ghost Dance — when she blamed an alleged cartel-affiliated gang called the Ghost Dancers for killing people on the Reservation.2
  • This is the second time the Oglala Sioux has barred the state's governor from its lands. In May 2019, the Tribal Council unanimously voted to ban Noem until she rescinded support for anti-protest legislation.3
  • The latest ban comes a day after Noem held a meeting with two Native American state lawmakers, Peri Pourier (D-Pine Ridge) and Tyler Tordsen (R-Sioux Falls), reportedly to discuss cartels allegedly operating on reservations and to find solutions to tackle their drug and violence problems.4
  • In January, the Oglala Sioux filed a new lawsuit against the federal government, demanding funding for what they called 'an effective law enforcement program' after soaring crime rates in the Reservation prompted it to call a state of emergency last December.5
  • Meanwhile, the GOP frontrunner for the presidential nomination, former Pres. Donald Trump, hinted on Fox News' 'Sunday Morning Futures' that Noem is on his shortlist for vice-presidential running mates.6

Sources: 1Washington Post, 2Kktv, 3Nativenewsonline, 4Argus Leader, 5KELOLAND.com and 6The Washington Times.

Narratives

  • Democratic narrative, as provided by Siouxlandproud. Noem has used the plight of the Oglala Sioux Tribe as a political weapon to increase her standing on the national stage, as she tries to appeal to the MAGA base with her harsh rhetoric on the border to pit some Red States against the federal government. Additionally, and foremost, her claim that there's a local gang called the Ghost Dancers in Pine Ridge is nothing but an insult to the tribe's traditions.
  • Republican narrative, as provided by The Western Journal. Though the Oglala Sioux Tribe may claim that they are neither a Democrat nor Republican tribe, the political nature of the ban against a potential GOP vice president candidate is evident. Ironically, the tribe has decided to bar a woman from entering their territory due to safety concerns in response to her calls for the US to secure its border to protect Americans.