Navajo Nation Council Advocates for Federal Recognition of Tribal IDs
Amid growing concerns over immigration enforcement actions, the Navajo Nation Council has unanimously approved a resolution urging federal recognition of tribal identification for its members. This development comes on the heels of an incident where Peter Yazzie, a Navajo citizen, was detained for several hours by federal agents near Peoria.
The resolution calls upon the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to provide training to agents to properly recognize Navajo-issued identification documents. Additionally, it presses for heightened federal awareness regarding the citizenship status of the Navajo people.
Speaker Crystalyne Curley emphasized the historical presence and rights of the Navajo people, stating, “We are the first people of this country, long before established governments, long before established borders or walls. You know, our identity and citizenship should not be questioned or challenged.”
Instances such as Yazzie’s detainment have raised anxiety among Navajo citizens, who fear similar encounters with ICE agents. Yazzie, who had documentation like his Certificate of Indian Blood and birth certificate, was reportedly ignored by officers before his eventual release.
Darlene Womochil, Interim Executive Director of the Navajo Nation Human Rights Office, highlighted the lack of understanding among federal agents about tribal sovereignty. She remarked, “Many federal ICE agents do not fully understand sovereignty or the government-to-government relationship that exists between Native American tribes and the federal government. Our people should not have to live in fear when going to the supermarket. Our students travel for school trips and athletic competitions in urban areas.”
The resolution also mandates the expansion of the Navajo Office of Vital Records and Identification to ensure accessibility to vital records services for citizens both on and off the reservation. This comes after a temporary funding interruption last month that hindered the issuance of new tribal IDs, a service now restored.
Curley noted that the council had previously sanctioned a contract allocating over $1 million in federal funds to bolster the Office of Vital Records.
Concerns about racial profiling have been voiced by Navajo officials, citing increased ICE activities in Arizona. Despite inquiries, ICE did not provide comments on Yazzie’s experience to KNAU.
In response to these tensions, hundreds of students in Flagstaff participated in a walkout protest against the immigration policies of the Trump administration.
—
Read More Arizona News
