The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota has joined forces with the broader Justice Department and its partners to tackle the crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP).
On May 5, National Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland highlighted ongoing efforts to address the MMIP and human trafficking crises in American Indian and Alaska Native 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, and that women and girls, particularly, have endured,” said Attorney General Garland. “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.”
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota has been actively working to prevent and respond to MMIP cases. In recognition of MMIP Awareness Day, the office is planning its third annual Savanna’s Act meetings with state, local, and tribal officials to reinforce partnerships in responses to recently reported missing and murdered indigenous persons.
As part of the partnerships set up at previous Savanna’s Act meetings, the office’s Law Enforcement Coordinator has worked closely with tribal, state and local law enforcement to request resources such as air support from the United States Air Force and other air, maritime and land-based resources to aid and assist in searches for missing persons.
The office has also partnered on efforts with its regional MMIP coordinator to prioritize MMIP cases consistent with the Deputy Attorney General’s July 2022 directive to U.S. Attorneys’ offices promoting public safety in Indian country.
The Justice Department’s MMIP Regional Outreach Program, established last July, permanently places 10 attorneys and coordinators in five designated regions across the United States, including the Northwest, Southwest, Great Plains, Great Lakes, and Southeast Regions.
In the District of North Dakota, the United States Attorney’s Office provided resource assistance in 46 missing person cases in 2023, 45 of which were resolved. The office remains committed to working closely with tribal, state, and local law enforcement to address the MMIP crisis and provide safety and justice to Tribal communities.
Related Federal Cases
- MMIP Crisis Deepens: DOJ Stepped Up Efforts to Tackle Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons · Alaska
- MMIP Crisis Deepens: DOJ Struggles to Address Epidemic of Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons · Alaska
- North Dakota Feds Vow Renewed Push on Missing Indigenous Cases · Alaska
- Feds Crack Down on Missing, Murdered Indigenous Persons · Alaska
- North Dakota 1986: A Year of Rising Violent Crime · Alaska
Key Facts
- State: North Dakota
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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