Controversy Erupts as Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Faces Backlash Over ICE Contract
MAYETTA, Kan. — The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, whose ancestors were forcibly relocated by the U.S. government in the 1830s from the Great Lakes region, is in the midst of a backlash from other Native Americans regarding a recent federal contract aimed at immigrant detention centers. In October, the tribe's economic development arm entered a nearly $30 million contract with the Department of Homeland Security without competitive bidding, alarming many within the community who see it as a betrayal of their history and values.
The tribe, which comprises approximately 4,500 members, has sought to publicly distance itself from the controversial contract and has reportedly fired the leaders involved in brokering this deal. We are known across the nation now as traitors and treasonous to another race of people, expressed Ray Rice, a tribal elder who felt blindsided by the decision. We believe we should not participate in actions that mirror the harm once inflicted upon us.
Historical Trauma and Current Dilemmas
Tribal Chairman Joseph Zeke Rupnick asserted a commitment to full transparency regarding the issue, emphasizing that the tribe is consulting legal counsel on how to extricate themselves from this contract. Historical parallels were drawn in Rupnick's statements, recalling the time when federal authorities rounded up their ancestors and confined them on reservations. He highlighted, We know our Indian reservations were the government's first attempts at detention centers. Why would we want to replicate that trauma?
The contract details reveal that KPB Services LLC—a newly formed company connected to the tribe—was tasked with creating conceptual designs for processing and detention centers. The rapid backlash from within the tribe and beyond has drawn attention to similar federal contracts awarded to other tribal entities that aid the Department of Homeland Security. These developments prompt questions regarding the ethical stance of tribes participating in the U.S. immigration enforcement structure.
Economic Pressures and Tribal Values
As federal funding dwindles and economic pressures mount, tribes are increasingly compelled to pursue diverse revenue-generating avenues, even ones that conflict with their cultural values. Gabe Galanda, an attorney focused on indigenous rights, noted that many economic opportunities presented to tribes can come at odds with their core principles and ethos.
The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation has a variety of enterprises in sectors like healthcare and construction, but the recent selection of KPB Services LLC for a high-stakes contract has raised eyebrows, particularly since the company did not appear prominently in any public-facing materials from the tribe. With criticism sweeping through social media and community discussions, it's unclear how much knowledge the Tribal Council had of this contract. The identity of those who brokered the contract has also come under scrutiny.
The concerns articulated by individuals within the community highlight the very human impacts of such decisions, especially in light of historical injustices. The urgency of these discussions reflects a broader struggle within indigenous nations navigating the complex interplay of economic survival and moral integrity.
