- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
California lawmakers on April 16 unanimously approved a bill to create a pilot program for three tribal nations that will allow them to investigate Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP) in their communities.
The bill, introduced by Assembly member and tribal citizen James Ramos earlier this year, sets up a pilot program for Blue Lake Rancheria, Yurok tribe, and Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians, that allows tribal police officers in California to become peace officers in the state under certain conditions.
Ramos’ bill attempts to fix a decades-old problem created by Public Law 280. In 1953, Congress enacted the law, which transferred public safety responsibility on tribal lands from the federal government to six states—including California—without reimbursing costs. In each of those states, state authority was substituted for federal authority on designated Indian reservations, with few exceptions. On reservations that aren’t subject to the law, crimes committed by non-Natives against tribal members are considered federal offenses and tribal police—with training and funding by the US Department of the Interior— are able to carry out arrests and investigations.
The result has eroded tribal sovereignty, overburdened state law enforcement by passing them additional police responsibility without funding, and has created jurisdictional gaps of sub-standard and culturally inappropriate service to tribal nations, according to speakers at a March 20 roundtable on Ramos’ bill.
“California ranks fifth in the nation for uninvestigated, unresolved MMIP cases,” Ramos said in a statement. “One contributing factor to this epidemic is the confusion over law enforcement jurisdiction caused by a 1953 federal law. We can reduce the number of unsolved cases by clarifying jurisdiction and permitting tribal police to pursue alleged perpetrators with the same authority as state peace officers if they meet California requirements.”
In December 2021, the Yurok Tribe declared an emergency declaration because of the missing and murdered Indigenous peoples crisis.
“It is our firm belief that this bill and pilot program will combat the crisis of MMIP by improving public safety in tribal communities,” Yurok Tribal Chairman Joe James said in a statement. “Thank you to Assemblymember Ramos for his leadership on this important issue, and we look forward to the collaborative efforts with tribal communities to ensure our safety and wellbeing.”
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Native News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Schatz, Heinrich, Wyden Slam GOP Tax Bill for Slashing Tribal Energy Program and Clean Energy Credits
Tunica-Biloxi Chairman Pierite Hosts Roundtable with Tribal Leaders and Trump Administration Officials
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
