BAY CITY, MI – The Justice Department is stepping up its efforts to tackle the crisis of missing or murdered Indigenous persons (MMIP) in Michigan, joining forces with partners across the federal government and in American Indian and Alaska Native communities to recognize May 5 as National MMIP Awareness Day.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland highlighted ongoing efforts to address the MMIP crisis, which has disproportionately affected women and girls in Tribal communities. “There is still so much more to do in the face of persistently high levels of violence that Tribal communities have endured for generations,” Garland said. “In carrying out our work, we seek to honor those who are still missing, those who were stolen from their communities, and their loved ones who are left with unimaginable pain.”
U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison, who serves the Eastern District of Michigan, vowed to do better in ensuring that the lives of MMIP victims and their families remain visible and that those responsible are held accountable. “For too long, our Missing and Murdered Indigenous victims were unseen by policymakers and law enforcement, but our office is committed to doing better,” Ison said.
The Justice Department’s efforts to address the MMIP crisis include the creation of the Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which permanently places 10 attorneys and coordinators in five designated regions across the United States. The program prioritizes MMIP cases and fulfills the Justice Department’s promise to dedicate new personnel to addressing the crisis.
Additionally, the Department of Justice released its joint response to the Not Invisible Act Commission’s recommendations on how to combat the MMIP and human trafficking crisis. The response recognizes that more must be done across the federal government to address the crisis and emphasizes the need for a whole-of-department effort.
FBI Director Christopher Wray and DEA Administrator Anne Milgram also expressed their commitment to addressing the MMIP crisis, with Wray pledging to prioritize support for victims and pursue investigations into crimes impacting American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Milgram emphasized the DEA’s top priority of protecting all communities from deadly drugs, including fentanyl, and drug-related violent crime.
Related Federal Cases
- Michigan’s MMIW Crisis Deepens: Feds Vow Stronger Response · Alaska
- Totten Pledges Support as MMIP Crisis Grips Michigan Tribes · Michigan
- Justice Fails Indigenous Communities: MMIP Crisis Unabated · Alaska
- MMIP Crisis Deepens: DOJ Stepped Up Efforts to Tackle Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons · Alaska
- MMIP Crisis Spreads in Oklahoma · Alaska
Key Facts
- State: Michigan
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
Violent CrimeViolent CrimeViolent CrimeViolent Crime