South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, a staunch ally of former President Donald Trump and a prominent figure in the MAGA movement, has found herself legally barred from setting foot on significant portions of her state. Following a series of controversial remarks that have been labeled as offensive and racially charged by Native American communities, Noem has been banished from the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is the third Lakota tribe in South Dakota to declare Noem persona non grata.
This latest restriction was levied after the Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Council voted to banish Noem over statements she made at town halls where she suggested that some tribal leaders were in cahoots with Mexican drug cartels, and accused Native American parents of neglecting their children’s education. Tribal Chairwoman Janet Alkire commented on the banishment, saying, “Governor Kristi Noem’s wild and irresponsible attempt to connect tribal leaders and parents with Mexican drug cartels is a sad reflection of her fear-based politics that do nothing to bring people together to solve problems.” Alkire implored that rather than making “uninformed and unsubstantiated claims,” the governor should collaborate with tribal leaders to bolster resources for law enforcement and education.
The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s decision follows similar banishments by the Oglala Sioux Tribe in February and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. These actions are demonstrative of the strained relationships between Governor Noem and the tribal nations within South Dakota, stemming from multiple incidents, including her unanticipated intrusion into the Pe Sla Sacred Sites meeting in Rapid City, which was deemed a “distraction” by Oglala Sioux Tribe President Frank Star Comes Out.
Noem, who has not issued an apology in response to the demands of the five tribes calling for one, has rather issued statements urging tribal leaders to “banish the cartels” from their lands. Moreover, she has prompted tribal governments to engage in partnerships with the South Dakota Highway Patrol for temporary law enforcement services and has sought federal audits to assess the funding extended to the nine tribal nations in the state.
In an email, Noem spokesman Ian Fury said, “Banishing Governor Noem does nothing to solve the problem. She calls on all our tribal leaders to banish the cartels from tribal lands.”
The combined no-go zones for Noem make up 10 percent of South Dakota’s 75,789.6 square miles of land area, This underscores the significant jurisdictional independence of the reservations and their ability to govern who may or may not enter their sovereign space.
Relevant articles:
– Kristi Noem Is Now Banned From 10 Percent of Her Own State
– Third tribal nation bans Gov. Kristi Noem from reservation • South Dakota Searchlight, South Dakota Searchlight, Wed, 10 Apr 2024 14:19:21 GMT
– Standing Rock bans Noem from reservation; third tribe to do so, Bismarck Tribune, Wed, 10 Apr 2024 15:00:00 GMT
– Standing Rock Sioux Tribe bans Gov. Noem from reservation, KELOLAND.com, Wed, 10 Apr 2024 20:11:25 GMT