Kristi Noem Kicked off the Reservation After Comments About the Border

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem was banned from the land of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. She created a stir with her remarks in support of border security. 

Noem is in hot water over her clearly stated support of Governor Abbott’s efforts to secure the Texas border with Mexico. A South Dakota tribe banned the governor from entering the Pine Ridge Reservation Friday after she said she would be willing to send razor wire and personnel to Texas to help secure the border. She also said that cartels are infiltrating reservations in the state. I’m guessing it was that last statement that caused the hubbub. 

To be clear, Governor Abbott has not asked for any governor to provide razor wire to Texas. There is not a shortage of razor wire in Texas, thank you very much. It was her way of saying that she was joining other Republican governors in going to Texas last weekend to meet with Abbott in a show of camaraderie. She mentioned she’d bring a truckload of razor wire with her if needed. 

The Oglala Sioux Tribe took offense. Tribe President Frank Star Comes Out gave the governor the boot from the tribe’s land as he accused her of using Biden’s border crisis for political means to appeal to Trump as he chooses his running mate. 

“Due to the safety of the Oyate, effective immediately, you are hereby Banished from the homelands of the Oglala Sioux Tribe!” Tribe President Frank Star Comes Out said in a Friday statement addressed to Noem. “Oyate” is a word for people or nation.

“They don’t need to be put in cages, separated from their children like during the Trump Administration, or be cut up by razor wire furnished by, of all places, South Dakota,” he said.

Duh. Yes, Kristi Noem is hopeful she will be chosen as Trump’s running mate. She has been clear about that for months. She immediately endorsed him when he launched his campaign. She’s in regular contact with Trump, she says in interviews. She wants the gig. If Trump picks a woman, she’s at the top of the list, according to reports. Last month I wrote about the veepstakes race and mentioned her chances. 

Most Republican governors have sent personnel or equipment to Texas since Operation Lone Star began in March 2021. Operation Lone Star is the border security initiative launched by Governor Abbott to secure the Texas border as Biden’s border crisis began to grow during his first months in office. It quickly became clear that Biden wanted open borders and was determined to ignore Abbott’s requests for help. Immigration is a federal responsibility. When Biden refused to act, Abbott stepped up to do the job Biden won’t do. What choice did he have? 

Noem was criticized in 2021 for accepting a $1M donation from a Republican donor to help cover the cost of a two-month deployment of 48 troops in Texas. She has deployed National Guard troops to the southern border three times. She should be applauded for helping when she can. 

Noem delivered her remarks to the South Dakota legislature last Wednesday. She talked about a gang that is alleged to be tied to a cartel, the Ghost Dancers, who are bringing drugs onto the reservation. Oglala Sioux Tribe President Frank Star Comes Out. released a four-page statement on Friday. 

The Oglala leader expressed his resentment on Noem’s speech when she mentioned a gang calling themselves the Ghost Dancers is murdering people on the Pine Ridge Reservation and is affiliated with border-crossing cartels that use South Dakota reservations to spread drugs to other parts of the country.

“I and the Oyate are deeply offended that you alleged ‘Ghost Dancers’ are affiliated with these cartels. Ghost Dance: one of the most sacred ceremonies was used with blatant disrespect and is insulting to our Oyate,” Star Comes Out wrote in his conclusion.

This isn’t the first time the tribe has battled Noem.

In May 2019, the Oglala Sioux Tribal Council unanimously voted to tell her she is unwelcome on the Pine Ridge Reservation until she rescinds her support for anti-protest legislation. Two additional Sioux tribes — Cheyenne River and Yankton — expressed their solidarity with the Oglala Sioux Tribe.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem had a showdown with the Oglala Sioux Tribe and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe when the two sovereign nations decided to close its reservations to non-Natives.

The tribe president noted that the Oglala Sioux is a “sovereign nation that is neither a Democrat nor Republican tribe.” He said the illegal immigrants are coming for jobs and a better life. “They don’t deserve to be dehumanized and mistreated by people like Governor [Abbott] and his cohorts,” he said.

Maybe he should come to the Texas border and see for himself what is going on. The border crossers are not mistreated by Texas law enforcement, they are mistreated by the cartels who get them to the border. Coming here for a job and a better way of life is not a legal reason to be granted asylum. He should stop blaming Texas for Biden’s open border.