U.S. Attorney Dena J. King To Host Meeting Of Attorney General's Advisory Committee's Subcommittee On Native American Issues In Cherokee, N.C.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – United States Attorney Dena J. King will host a meeting of the U.S Attorney General’s Advisory Committee’s Subcommittee on Native American Issues from April 4 to April 6, 2023, in Cherokee, North Carolina.

U.S. Attorney King serves as Chair of the NAIS, the longest standing subcommittee of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC). The NAIS consists of 18 U.S. Attorneys from across the United States, serving in districts that include Indian Country or one or more federally recognized Tribes within their jurisdiction.

The NAIS focuses exclusively on Indian Country matters, and it is tasked with advising the AGAC and Department of Justice leadership and components with developing and implementing comprehensive federal efforts and initiatives related to Indian Country and making policy recommendations on issues affecting American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

“As Chair of the NAIS, I am honored to host our subcommittee meeting in the Western District of North Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney King. “The NAIS meeting is an important opportunity for United States Attorneys, Justice Department officials, Tribal liaisons, law enforcement, and representatives of federal agencies to discuss a range of topics that are critical to the health and safety of American Indian and Alaska Native communities, share best practices, and hold important discussions on enhancing our partnerships with our Tribal counterparts.”

The agenda for the NAIS meeting includes multiple panel discussions with experts on Indian Country matters, on the topics of crime deterrence and intervention, criminal legal and legislative updates, federal response to missing or murdered indigenous people, drug enforcement and substance use disorder prevention efforts, reentry courts, assistance and provision of services to victims of crime, outreach and education initiatives, and implementation or enhancement of programs related to community safety and public health and wellness.

Participants will travel to the Museum of the Cherokee Indian for a guided tour on Cherokee Indian history, culture, and artifacts, followed by a visit to Cherokee High School for a panel discussion with student leaders and school administrators on topics of concern to young people, including juvenile crime prevention, bullying, mental health, equity in the criminal justice system, and building trust with law enforcement.

The meeting will conclude with an in-depth discussion of NAIS members centered on existing and emerging public safety issues in Tribal communities, policy recommendations to the AGAC, and federal funding opportunities to support the Justice Department’s initiatives in Indian Country.

“U.S. Attorneys’ Offices play an integral role in implementing the Justice Department’s policies and strategies to address the public safety concerns of Tribal communities,” said U.S. Attorney King. “The NAIS meeting is an opportunity for U.S. Attorneys to discuss ongoing efforts in our respective districts to combat crime in Indian Country, share best practice, identify areas of improvement, and advance engagement and collaboration with Tribal leadership to achieve these goals.”

In addition to U.S. Attorney King, the U.S. Attorneys of the following districts are attending the NAIS meeting: District of Alaska, District of Arizona, District of Connecticut, District of Maine, District of Massachusetts, District of Montana, District of Nevada, District of North Dakota, District of South Dakota, District of Utah, District of Wyoming, Northern District of California, Northern District of Indiana, Northern District of Oklahoma, Eastern District of Michigan, Eastern District of Oklahoma, Eastern District of Washington, Southern District of Mississippi, Western District of Louisiana, Western District of Oklahoma, and Western District of Washington. Other Department of Justice leaders and component agencies will be attending the NAIS meeting as well.