The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians has announced that members can get free tribal IDs until the end of February, following concerns over the Trump administration’s targeting of immigrants. The move aims to reassure tribal members who may be swept up in the fervor to root out undocumented people despite being citizens and members of a federally recognized tribe.
Tribal Chief Cyrus Ben issued a statement on January 27, assuring members that the executive order attempting to roll back birthright citizenship does not impact their status as United States citizens. However, some fear broader implications due to the country’s history of not recognizing Native Americans as citizens.
Ben announced the free tribal IDs in a statement on the tribe’s official Facebook page, waiving fees for all tribal members to ensure easier access to obtaining or renewing their tribal identification. This is part of an effort by tribal leaders throughout the US to respond to the threat of ICE raids and executive orders.
The move comes as reports of Navajo Nation council members raising concerns about Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents targeting their people have been on the rise since Trump’s inauguration. The Department of Justice has invoked a 1884 Supreme Court ruling to defend the executive order, citing that “birth in the United States does not by itself entitle a person to citizenship.”
Tribal Chief Ben emphasized that Native Americans are US citizens and have been granted citizenship through various laws, including the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924. He urged members to carry their state-issued identification cards, tribal identification cards, or CDIBs with them at all times as a safe measure.
Four federal judges have issued rulings blocking Trump’s executive order attempting to roll back birthright citizenship into taking effect. The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians has also been proactive in its response, with Governor Tate Reeves signing House Bill 277 into law in 2021 making tribal IDs a legal form of identification in the state.
Source: https://www.mississippifreepress.org/mississippi-choctaws-can-get-free-tribal-ids-amid-fears-over-trumps-orders-targeting-immigrants