PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley is spearheading a bipartisan coalition of 39 attorneys general urging Congress to pass legislation aimed at bolstering law enforcement capabilities in tribal communities. The push for the Tribal Warrant Fairness Act comes as officials seek solutions to public safety concerns across South Dakota, including the Rapid City area.
Jackley, along with three other leading attorneys general, sent a letter to Congressional leadership requesting the passage of the act. The proposed legislation is designed to provide federal law enforcement support to tribal jurisdictions to address critical public safety issues.
“This federal legislation supports my office’s ongoing efforts to protect South Dakota’s Native American populations and to help prevent more of our citizens from becoming Missing and Murdered Indigenous People,” Jackley said. “We need Congress to get involved in addressing the MMIP problem in our states.”
If enacted, the Tribal Warrant Fairness Act would expand the authority of the U.S. Marshals Service to assist tribal law enforcement agencies in locating missing children. The legislation would also authorize tribal officers to serve on the U.S. Marshals Service’s elite Fugitive Apprehension Task Force.
Additionally, the measure seeks to enable tribes to locate and apprehend fugitives through task forces and other lawful means. It also mandates consultation with tribes regarding the implementation of these new authorities.
Jackley was joined in leading the coalition by Attorneys General Aaron Ford of Nevada, Raul Torrez of New Mexico, and Gentner Drummond of Oklahoma.
The letter garnered broad support from top legal officers across the nation. Signatories included attorneys general from American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
