MINNEAPOLIS – In a somber reminder of the ongoing crisis, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has declared May 5 as National Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Awareness Day. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland emphasized the agency’s commitment to addressing this crisis and other public safety challenges like the fentanyl crisis affecting tribal communities.
Garland stated, ‘We seek to honor those who are still missing, stolen from their communities, and their loved ones who bear unimaginable pain. Tribal communities deserve safety and justice, and today challenges us to redouble our efforts.’
U.S. Attorney Luger highlighted the importance of MMIP Awareness Day as a time for remembrance and commitment to supporting tribal communities. Minnesota’s MMIP Assistant U.S. Attorney is dedicated to strengthening partnerships with tribal communities across the region.
FBI Director Christopher Wray reaffirmed the FBI’s unwavering pledge to work with law enforcement partners in addressing violence disproportionately affecting tribal communities, emphasizing the priority given to supporting victims and investigating crimes impacting Indigenous persons.
DEA Administrator Anne Milgram emphasized the DEA’s commitment to protecting all communities from deadly drugs like fentanyl, acknowledging that no community is immune to these threats.
The DOJ has also implemented the Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, placing attorneys and coordinators across designated regions in the U.S. This program aligns with the agency’s promise to dedicate new personnel to MMIP cases, as outlined in Executive Order 14053 and the Federal Law Enforcement Strategy to Prevent and respond to Violence Against American Indians and Alaska Natives.
In March, the Departments of Justice and Interior released a joint response to the Not Invisible Act Commission’s recommendations for combating the MMIP and human trafficking crisis.
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Related Federal Cases
- Justice Department Fails Indigenous Nations: MMIP Crisis Deepens · Alaska
- Attorney General Garland Leads Effort to Tackle MMIP Crisis · Alaska
- Feds Strengthen Efforts to Stem MMIP Crisis · Alaska
- Alaska Faces MMIP Crisis: DOJ Boosts Outreach, Prosecutions · Alaska
- MMIP Crisis Haunts Tribal Communities · Alaska
Key Facts
- State: Minnesota
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption|Violent Crime|Human Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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