PIERRE, S.D.(SDBA)- South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem is doubling down on calls for the federal government to better combat crime on Indian reservations.

In a letter to the United States Senate’s Committee on Indian Affairs, Noem calls on Capitol Hill lawmakers to “take appropriate action” to address rising crime plaguing South Dakota’s tribal lands, specifically demanding that members of the Biden administration get a first-hand look at what’s happening there.

“The committee must also urge the Biden Administration to stop shirking its treaty obligations and take necessary actions to keep these people safe,” Noem wrote in a three-page letter sent Wednesday morning.

The federal government is statutorily responsible for providing law enforcement resources to the tribes.

Beyond bringing Biden administration officials in, Noem says she wants to see more police officers hired to protect the reservations, and she believes the current ones should get a pay raise too.

Since 2014, six of South Dakota’s Native American tribes have declared states of emergencies — citing drug and crime problems on their territories, or a lack of available tribal police officers to enforce law and order.

“I offer my assistance to help these efforts,” Noem continued. “The State of South Dakota is committed to building stronger relationships with each of our nine Native American tribes and assisting them to address the challenges that they face.”

Last month, the governor put a spotlight on the crime happening on reservations during a joint address to the Legislature, alleging Mexican drug cartels had infiltrated reservations due to the lack of law enforcement resources. Noem contends the cartels have even recruited tribal members. Both the state Department of Public Safety and the
Attorney General’s Office have also offered support for Noem’s remarks.

However, tribal leaders, most notably Oglala Sioux Tribe President Frank Star Comes Out, took offense to Noem’s remarks — calling them insensitive and unfairly targeting reservations when crime issues stemming from the southern border crisis are felt beyond just the borders of tribal lands. Star Comes Out and the Oglala Sioux banned Noem from the Pine Ridge reservation following her joint address.

However, Star Comes Out once voiced similar concerns to those Noem shared, and last year asked the same committee the governor sent her letter to also take action.

Before the Senate’s Committee on Indian Affairs, Star Comes Out in December decried his tribe’s ability to “stop the flow of drugs and the movement of the cartel.”

“The sole provider of law enforcement services to the Oglala Sioux Tribe is the federal government,” Star Comes Out testified. “We believe this federal neglect has resulted in the cartel moving on to our reservation, an increase in overdoses, and a proliferation of guns our school properties.”

Oglala Sioux tribal leaders did not respond to requests seeking comment for this article.

In an interview with South Dakota Broadcasters Association Tuesday, Noem said that she had not spoken with the chairman since he banned her from his reservation, and defended her comments.

“My whole purpose for giving that joint address was so that people could be informed, and they could know the truth and the facts,” she said. “I have had many of these tribal leaders come and ask me for help… Speaking truth to it is the only way to expose it, and I think to show people that we have an opportunity to partner.”