Several Michigan Native American tribes are sounding the alarm after reports of U.S. citizens being detained during Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, urging tribal members to know their rights and carry proper identification at all times.
On Thursday, Jan. 15, the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians became the latest tribal nation to issue a public advisory, joining a growing list of Michigan tribes cautioning members about potential interactions with ICE agents and emphasizing the legal protections afforded to Native Americans under federal law.
Growing Concerns After ICE Detentions
At least five of Michigan’s 12 federally recognized tribes have now issued statements warning members about ICE encounters. The alerts come amid heightened national tensions following reports that at least five Native Americans—despite being U.S. citizens—were detained during ICE operations in Minneapolis, Minnesota, according to ICT, a nonprofit newsroom covering Indigenous communities.
Those detentions followed a fatal shooting of an unarmed woman by ICE agents in Minneapolis and a second non-fatal shooting, incidents that sparked nationwide protests on Sunday, Jan. 11. Protests intensified even as President Donald Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to deploy soldiers to quell demonstrations.
“Kavanaugh Stops” and Racial Profiling Fears
In a detailed FAQ shared with members, the Grand Traverse Band warned that recent legal developments and Supreme Court rulings have expanded the authority of federal agents to conduct brief investigative detentions—sometimes referred to as “Kavanaugh stops.”
“Considering these racial profiling practices that have the consequence of including Native Americans as a class subject to ‘Kavanaugh stops,’ all GTB Tribal Members are advised to understand their rights and the legal weight of their Tribal Identification in protecting you from ICE enforcement practices,” the tribe stated.
So-called “Kavanaugh stops” refer to a type of brief investigative detention by law enforcement that was clarified and expanded through recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings and opinions associated with Brett Kavanaugh.
In simple terms, these stops allow federal agents—including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)—to temporarily detain and question individuals without a warrant when agents claim they have reasonable suspicion that a person may be involved in unlawful activity.
Critically, reasonable suspicion can be based on subjective factors, including:
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Perceived ethnicity or race
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Language spoken or accent
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Clothing or appearance
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Occupation or location
Civil rights advocates and tribal leaders warn that this standard opens the door to racial profiling, particularly against Native Americans, Latinos, and other minority communities—many of whom are U.S. citizens.
Other Michigan Tribes Issue Similar Warnings
The Bay Mills Indian Community, Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, and Little River Band of Ottawa Indians have also released statements or shared guidance on social media in recent days.
“The recent actions taken by Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) have created fear, confusion and uncertainty,” the Little Traverse Bay Bands said in a Facebook post. “One of the best ways to protect ourselves is through being well informed and prepared. As Waganakising Odawak, we are family. As a family, we must look out for each other.”
Bay Mills: ICE Has No Authority Over U.S. Citizens
Bay Mills Indian Community President Whitney Gravelle issued a blunt reminder of tribal citizens’ legal status.
“In recent weeks, heightened tensions have emerged as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have stopped and detained tribal members and tribal descendants, raising urgent concerns about dignity, safety, and respect for Native American citizens,” Gravelle wrote. “Tribal citizens, including all Bay Mills Indian Community tribal citizens, are United States citizens by law—by virtue of the Snyder Act, also known as the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924. ICE has no jurisdiction over U.S. citizens in matters of immigration.”
Bay Mills also released a two-page FAQ advising members to carry a valid tribal ID and enrollment card, and to be prepared to show additional documents if requested, such as a passport, passport card, REAL ID driver’s license, or other official paperwork.
Sault Tribe Condemns “Aggressive” ICE Actions
Sault Ste. Marie Tribe Chairman Austin Lowes sharply criticized recent enforcement activity in a Jan. 14 press release.
“The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians strongly condemns recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities that have created fear, confusion, and anxiety within Indigenous communities and among minority communities more broadly,” Lowes said. “Enforcement actions that rely on intimidation and racial profiling undermine public trust and place innocent people at risk.”
Lowes added that tribal citizens are members of sovereign governments and said recent detentions of tribal members were “deeply troubling and unacceptable,” arguing such actions disregard tribal sovereignty and the government-to-government relationship between tribes and the United States.
Information Sharing and Community Outreach
The Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians included QR codes in their Jan. 14 post directing citizens to resources explaining individual rights, how to handle ICE encounters, and what to do if detained. The tribe said the information will also appear in its next edition of The Odawa Trails newsletter.
Similarly, the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians shared guidance on Jan. 13 outlining what individuals should do if approached, detained, or questioned by ICE agents.
What Is the Snyder Act?
The Indian Citizenship Act of 1924, commonly known as the Snyder Act, was signed into law by President Calvin Coolidge on June 2, 1924. The act granted full U.S. citizenship to American Indians and Alaska Native Americans.
While the 15th Amendment, passed in 1870, guaranteed voting rights to U.S. citizens regardless of race, Native Americans were not fully recognized as citizens until 1924.
The act states:
“That all non-citizen Indians born within the territorial limits of the United States be, and they are hereby, declared to be citizens of the United States: Provided that the granting of such citizenship shall not in any manner impair or otherwise affect the right of any Indian to tribal or other property.”
Bottom Line
Michigan tribes are urging members to stay informed, carry proper identification, and understand their rights amid what tribal leaders describe as increasingly aggressive and racially driven ICE enforcement actions. Tribal officials stress that Native Americans are U.S. citizens, protected by federal law, and that unlawful detentions undermine both civil rights and tribal sovereignty.
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