ALBUQUERQUE (August 13, 2024) — Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and Attorney General Merrick B. Garland were in New Mexico today to highlight the work of the Biden-Harris administration in helping address the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP) and human trafficking crises throughout Indian Country. The leaders were briefed by representatives of both Departments at the headquarters of the Interior Department’s Missing and Murdered Unit (MMU), and held a listening session with the Eight Northern Pueblos, which include the Nambé, Ohkay Owingeh, Picuris, Pojoaque, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara, Taos and Tesuque Pueblos.
“It was my honor to be home in New Mexico with Attorney General Garland today to share, listen and learn about how the federal government can continue to be an active partner in the fight to end the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples and Human Trafficking crises that have plagued Indian Country since colonization began,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. “Together, the Interior and Justice Departments have made significant progress during the Biden-Harris administration, but we must continue to do everything we can to ensure that investments, resources and attention are paid to this critical issue.”
“The Justice Department is committed to working with the Department of the Interior and with our Tribal partners to confront the crisis of missing or murdered Indigenous persons and the scourge of human trafficking,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “I am grateful to Secretary Haaland for her extraordinary leadership and for her partnership in our urgent shared work to advance safety and security in Tribal communities and to pursue justice for Native victims of crime.”
Under Secretary Haaland and Attorney General Garland’s leadership, the Biden-Harris administration has taken bold and tangible steps to make progress on violence in Indian Country:
Missing and Murdered Unit: As one of her first acts as Secretary, Secretary Haaland created a new MMU within the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Office of Justice Services (BIA-OJS) to pursue justice for missing or murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives. The MMU provides leadership and direction for cross-departmental and interagency work involving missing and murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives. The MMU has enabled the Interior Department to expand its collaborative efforts with other agencies, such as working to enhance the Justice Department’s National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), and working through strategic partnerships with the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Units (BAUs), the FBI Forensic Laboratory, the US Marshals Missing Child Unit (MCU) and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
Law Enforcement Collaboration: At the 2022 White House Tribal Nations Summit, the BIA and FBI announced an agreement to provide for the effective and efficient administration of criminal investigations in Indian Country. The agreement specified that BIA-OJS and the FBI would cooperate on investigations and share information and investigative reports as well as establish written guidelines outlining jurisdiction and investigative roles and responsibilities. The agreement also requires that all BIA, FBI and Tribal law enforcement officers receive training regarding trauma-informed, culturally responsive investigative approaches.
Access to Department of Justice Resources: Since 2021, the Justice Department has provided over $732 million in funding awards, including $268 million this past year, to help enhance Tribal justice systems and strengthen law enforcement responses. These awards have gone toward improving the handling of child abuse cases, combating domestic and sexual violence, supporting Tribal youth programs, and strengthening victim services in Tribal communities.
MMIP Regional Outreach Program: Since the start of this Administration, the Justice Department has made strides in implementing systems aimed at preventing new instances of MMIP, locating individuals who are reported missing, and, where a crime has occurred, investigating and prosecuting those responsible. In Summer 2023, the Department launched a MMIP Regional Outreach Program. This program places attorneys and coordinators at U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the United States to help prevent and respond to cases of missing or murdered Indigenous people.
Not Invisible Act Commission: The Departments worked collaboratively to stand up the Not Invisible Act Commission, which was created by legislation the Secretary led while in Congress, to develop recommendations on how the federal government can combat crimes against American Indian and Alaska Native people. The Commission included federal, state and Tribal law enforcement, Tribal leaders, federal partners, service providers, family members of missing and murdered individuals, and survivors. In 2023, the Commission held seven field hearings across the country as well as a virtual national hearing to hear directly from individuals affected by the MMIP crisis. In March 2024, the Departments released their response to the Commission’s recommendations, which they are in the process of implementing in collaboration with Congress.
Operation Not Forgotten: The FBI established this operation to focus resources on seeking justice for Tribal community members who have been victims of unresolved crimes. Operation Not Forgotten first surged resources to Tribal communities in 2023 with the mission of examining cases that have gone unresolved. The goal was to move those cases closer to resolution, provide services for victims, and to bring offenders to justice, who had so far escaped it. Due to the success of the 2023 operation, the FBI is currently partnering with the MMU to surge resources in 2024. The MMU is providing significant intelligence and investigative support for the duration of the operation. Over 45 special agents and five intelligence personnel have deployed in support of the 2024 operation.
White House Council on Native American Affairs: At the 2021 White House Tribal Nations Summit, President Biden signed Executive Order 14053 on Improving Public Safety and Criminal Justice for Native Americans and Addressing the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous People directing the Departments of the Interior, Justice and Health and Human Services to work with Tribal Nations and partners to build safe and healthy Tribal communities and to support comprehensive law enforcement, prevention, intervention and support services. President Biden signed the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022 into law, which built on advancements from previous reauthorizations and included new provisions to address the crisis of MMIP across the country and re-enforced Tribal sovereignty by providing means for Tribes to address the epidemic of violence within their lands and communities. The White House Council on Native American Affairs, co-chaired by Secretary Haaland, is continuing to implement this work through its Public Safety and Justice committee, which is co-chaired by the Departments of the Interior and Justice, as part of an all of government approach to address public safety and the MMIP crisis.
International Collaboration: The United States is also working with its international counterparts from Canada and Mexico to address public safety issues on a larger scale. In September 2023, Canada chaired the Fifth Convening of the Trilateral Working Group on Violence against Indigenous Women and Girls in collaboration with Indigenous leaders and government officials from Canada, the United States, and Mexico and global subject-matter experts. Secretary Haaland represented the U.S. government for this convening. Discussions at this year’s convening focused on human trafficking and access to justice. Officials from the three countries agreed to continue to protect and uphold the rights of Indigenous women, learn from and implement Indigenous-led approaches, provide accessible and culturally safe services, and support the preservation of Indigenous cultures and languages. A sixth gathering is expected later this year.