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Press Release
BOISE – Today, President Donald J. Trump proclaimed May 5, 2020, as Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives Awareness Day. The proclamation reaffirmed the nation’s commitment to reverse the trend of violence affecting American Indians and Alaska Natives and to remember those missing or lost. Attorney General William P. Barr and U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis shared their commitment to providing justice to these victims and their families.
“American Indian and Alaska Native people have suffered injustices for hundreds of years, including today’s rampant domestic and sexual violence carried out primarily against women and girls,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Today, President Trump has proclaimed a day to remember all those missing and lost to this unacceptable violence. Through the Presidential Task Force – co-chaired by Katie Sullivan, who heads our Office of Justice Programs – and in partnership with Tribal Nations, we are all committed to ending this cycle of violence. To that end, we have brought unprecedented resources to support public safety and victim services, including $270 million in grant funding in fiscal year 2019. The department is also hiring 11 coordinators to consult with tribes and develop common protocols to address this scourge of violence. From this day forward, today’s proclamation marks a time for all of us to honor Native Americans who have been lost and rededicate ourselves to what President Trump has called ‘our mission to bring healing, justice, hope, and restoration’ to American Indian and Alaska Native communities.”
“Idaho’s Legislature designated today as a ‘Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People,’” said U.S. Attorney Davis. “President Trump, Attorney General Barr and I recognize the tremendous suffering by the families and friends of murdered and missing Indian people. This loss is a great tragedy. Today, with Idaho, our office resolves, as our Legislature wrote to ‘honor the lives of all missing and murdered indigenous people’ by working with our federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners to make a more significant difference.”
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CASSIE FULGHUM
Public Information Officer
(208) 334-1211