U.S. Officials Launch New Efforts To Address Crisis Of Missing And Murdered Indigenous People

The Secretary of the Interior and U.S. Attorney General were in Mexico this week to highlight new efforts they say will help solve a major problem impacting families across Oklahoma, the high numbers of Indigenous people who have gone missing or been murdered.

The CDC says Native Americans saw the second highest rates of homicide in 2020 with murder in the top 10 leading causes of death.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs says four in five Native women have experienced violence in their life with more than half experiencing sexual violence.

Secretary Deb Haaland and U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland say new programs have been launched to help federal, local and tribal law enforcement work together on the MMIP crisis.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs also launched the Missing and Murdered Unit to bring together information, resources and a phoneline for people to leave tips for investigators.

In a statement, Haaland said:

“Together, the Interior and Justice Departments have made significant progress during the Biden-Harris administration, but we must continue to do everything we can to ensure that investments, resources and attention are paid to this critical issue.”

The Attorney General said:

“The Justice Department is committed to working with the Department of the Interior and with our Tribal partners to confront the crisis of missing or murdered Indigenous persons and the scourge of human trafficking”