Presidential Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives Announces Tribal Consultations and Listening Sessions

WASHINGTON – The Presidential Task force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives announced a series of field consultations and listening sessions to occur across the United States in the coming months.

One of the consultations will be held on July 7 in Billings, Mt.   

American Indians and Alaska Natives experience disproportionately high rates of violence. President Trump has called the crisis of missing and murdered Native Americans “sobering and heartbreaking.” The task force, designated Operation Lady Justice, has been empowered to review Indian Country cold cases, to strengthen law enforcement protocols, and work with tribes to improve investigations, information sharing and a more seamless response to missing persons investigations.

Confirmed Dates and Locations

 

March 2                       Department of Health and Human Services

3:00-4:30                    Administration for Children & Families Tribal Advisory Council Mtg.

                                    Washington D.C. Listening Session (CLOSED PRESS)

 

March 12                     Tribal Interior Budget Council Listening Session

10:30-12:30                Washington, DC (CLOSED PRESS)

 

March  17                    United South & Eastern Tribes (USET),

2:00-5:00                     Midwest Alliance of Sovereign Tribes (MAST) Listening Session

                                    Marriott Marquis, 901 Massachusetts Ave NW

Washington, D.C.

 

March 24                     Muscogee Creek Listening Session

9:00-4:00                     River Spirit Casino

8330 Riverside Parkway, Tulsa, OK

 

March 31                     38^th Annual Protecting Our Children Conference Listening Session

10:30-noon                  Marriott Denver Tech Center- Host Hotel

Denver, CO (CLOSED PRESS)

 

April 15                       Pascua Yaqui Listening Session

9:00-4:00                    Casino Del Sol

                                    5655 W. Valencia Rd., Tucson, AZ

                                   

April 21                       Sycuan Band, California Listening Session

1:30-5:00                      3 Kwaaypaay Court, El Cajon, CA

 

April 28                       National Indian Programs Training Center - CONSULTATION

9:00-3:00                     1101 Indian School Road NW, rooms 233-234

                                    Albuquerque, NM

 

May 12                        Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Listening Session

9:00-4:00                    Grand Traverse Resort & Spa

                                    100 Grand Traverse Village Blvd, Acme Township, MI

 

May 21                        Yakama Nation, Washington Listening Session

9:00-4:00                    Legends Casino and Hotel

                                    580 Fort Road, Toppenish WA

 

June 7 – 11                  Anchorage, Alaska – CONSULTATION

Date and Location TBD

 

June 16                        North Dakota/South Dakota Listening Session

10:00-4:00                   North Dakota Heritage Center           

                                    Bismarck, ND

 

June 23                        Women are Sacred Conference Listening Session

5:00-9:00 pm              Intercontinental Saint Paul Riverfront Hotel

                                    11 E. Kellogg Boulevard, St. Paul, MN

 

July 7                          Billings, Montana - CONSULTATION

9:00-4:00                    Double Tree Hotel, 27 N 27^th, Billings, MT

The members of the task force are:

• Katharine Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Office of Justice Programs, designee for the Attorney General;
• Tara Sweeney, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, designee for the Secretary of the Interior;
• Terry Wade, Executive Assistant Director, Criminal, Cyber, Response and Services Branch, Federal Bureau of Investigation;
• Laura Rogers, Acting Director, Office on Violence Against Women;
• Charles Addington, Deputy Bureau Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services;
• Trent Shores, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma and Chair of the Native American Issues Subcommittee of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee; and
• Jean Hovland, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Native American Affairs and Commissioner, Administration for Native Americans, Department of Health and Human Services.

Marcia Good of the Department of Justice serves as the Executive Director of the task force.   The task force will present a progress report to the President by Nov. 26, 2020, and a final report detailing its activities and accomplishments by Nov. 26, 2021.

NOTE: All sessions will be open to the public and the press unless otherwise designated.  As a general rule, each consultation and listening session will include a task force media availability.  Opening remarks will be open for audio and visual recording.  However, the duration of the testimony by participants will be recordable by pen and pad only.

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of the Department of Justice at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.  2020 also marks 171^st anniversary of the Department of the Interior.  Learn more about the history of DOI at www.doi.gov/history/.

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