In northern Arizona, Indigenous communities are voicing concerns over potential detentions by federal immigration authorities amid heightened deportation activity under the Trump administration. These concerns stem from fears of racial profiling and insufficient identification documents.
Unverified social media posts indicate that some Navajo Nation members have faced questions regarding their nationality, raising anxiety for those living off reservations about unwarranted detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren has addressed these concerns, stating no confirmed reports exist of tribal members being detained by ICE. “This is just unnecessary stress on my people. But as the leader of the largest indigenous nation in North America, I just want to continue to let my people know we are knocking on all avenues to make sure that the United States of America continues to treat us with respect,” Nygren said.
Nygren advises tribal members to carry photo identification and to contact a dedicated hotline if approached by ICE agents. “Because a lot of Navajos skins are pretty dark, we could possibly be thought of as another nationality, which is unfortunate. But what I tell the people in the nation is just have your documents on hand,” he noted.
The lack of certain forms of ID, physical addresses, and birth certificates is common among many on the Navajo Nation. In response, the tribe has bolstered staffing at the Navajo Nation Office of Vital Records, the department responsible for issuing tribal IDs, which has seen a surge in inquiries.
ICE, in a statement to KNAU, clarified that it has not conducted operations in Flagstaff or on the Navajo Nation recently and emphasized that its officers do not target individuals based on skin color, language, or ethnicity.
—
Read More Arizona News
