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The Governor of South Dakota, Governor Kristi Noem, has officially been banned from all tribal lands in the state.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) is now prohibited from entering all tribal lands after the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe voted to bar her from their reservation on Wednesday, citing her repeated allegations that tribal leaders collaborate with drug cartels. Noem ignited controversy in March when she claimed tribal leaders gain from cartels operating on their territories.
“We’ve got some tribal leaders that I believe are personally benefiting from the cartels being there, and that’s why they attack me every day,” the governor said at a forum in March. “But I’m going to fight for the people who actually live in those situations, who call me and text me every day and say, ‘Please, dear governor, please come help us in Pine Ridge. We are scared.’”
Tensions between Noem and the tribes have been high since she assumed office in 2019. As a result, all nine tribes in South Dakota, covering nearly 20 percent of the state, have banned Noem from their lands. This includes recent bans from the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Tribe and the Yankton Sioux Tribe, along with previous votes from the Standing Rock Sioux, Crow Creek Sioux, Rosebud, Cheyenne River Sioux, Oglala Sioux, and Lower Brule Sioux tribes.
Noem reiterated her stance in a recent interview, claiming the presence of gangs like the Bandidos and MS-13 on tribal lands. She stressed the need for federal and tribal leaders to combat gang violence, blaming the Biden administration for the ongoing issues. “These are some of my poorest communities, and they want safe communities. They want their children to be safe,” she said. “They don’t want to have the type of violence happening outside their doors.”
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe spokesperson Alli Moran expressed that many tribes share the sentiment that Noem “lacks respect for tribal sovereignty and a proper understanding” of their governance. The governor has called for more action from tribal leaders and the federal government to address the criminal activities affecting these communities.
