The Trump Administration is putting new focus on addressing the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous persons. The shift in strategy has won the support of Congressmen Tom Cole and Markwayne Mullin, both of whom are members of the Congressional Native American Caucus.
President Trump issued an executive order to spur federal agencies to work together on the issue. The Department of Justice also unveiled its new Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Initiative which establishes coordinators in 11 states including Oklahoma. Additionally, the initiative will provide Specialized FBI Rapid Deployment Teams and improve federally supported databases to help solve cases.
“I am very encouraged that the Trump Administration is prioritizing solutions to combat the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous persons. For far too long, predators have preyed on Indian Country, especially on Native women and vulnerable children. By improving coordination and strengthening the partnership between federal, state, tribal and local law enforcement agencies, we can indeed make communities safer and bring criminals to justice across Indian Country. I am hopeful for the success of these initiatives,” said Cole.
“The silent crisis of missing and murdered indigenous persons is wreaking havoc on our families and our communities,” said Mullin. “All parties have to work together to fight back against this epidemic of violence and this national strategy is a step in the right direction. I applaud Attorney General Barr and the Department of Justice for taking this initiative that will help federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement agencies better coordinate their efforts.”
Both Cole and Mullin have been vocal proponents of federal action to address missing and murdered indigenous persons. Mullin has introduced legislation to improve information sharing between law enforcement agencies and officer recruitment and retention.
