And then there were two: Seventh Native American tribe bans Gov. Noem

Crow Creek passes resolution banning Noem from central South Dakota reservation

Crow Creek Tribal Chairman Peter Lengkeek addressed a joint Legislature Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023 during the State of the Tribes’ Address. (Jonathan Ellis/The Dakota Scout)

The Crow Creek Sioux Tribe in central South Dakota has joined six of the state’s tribes in preventing Gov. Kristi Noem from coming onto their tribal land, leaving the governor just two reservations she can still travel to.

That decision came after a Tuesday morning tribal meeting in Fort Thompson. Like the tribes who have issued bans before them, tribal leaders cited Noem’s previous remarks about alleged drug cartel activity on the reservations as the primary reason for the ban.

“The people voted unanimously to ban her along with the tribal council for her derogatory remarks about the tribes and cartels,” tribal council member Kyle Loudner explained in a text message. “And about the remarks she made about the children being nobodies their whole lives because of the parents.” Noem made remarks during a series of March town halls about children on the reservation.

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Loudner also said Noem’s “failure to act” during state of emergencies issued for winter storms over the last two years factored into the decision. When giving the State of the Tribes address in 2023, Crow Creek Chairman Peter Lengkeek blasted Noem for her administration’s response to the winter storms.

Noem’s most recent spate of issues with the tribes began after a joint address to the Legislature in January calling attention to the U.S.-Mexico border where a record flow of immigrants into the country, she said, is leading to criminal activity in South Dakota. In the address, Noem said Mexican drug cartel are present on the reservations. The state’s Department of Public Safety and Attorney General’s office — as well as some tribal leaders — have also made the same assertions.

Last week, both the Yankton Sioux and the Sisseton-Wahpeton tribes banned Noem from coming on to their reservations, the first time that any bans had been issued in about a month.

The Governor isn’t far away from being banned by all 9 of the state’s tribes. After Crow Creek’s vote, only two remain, Lower Brule and the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe. And though Lower Brule had previously taken a pass on a resolution that would have banned Noem from their central South Dakota reservation, tribal chairman Clyde Estes told South Dakota Public Broadcasting that they are reconsidering a similar measure ahead of their June meeting. Estes also cited remarks Noem has previously made about children on the reservations as the reason they were reconsidering the idea.

Noem’s office has not responded to several requests for comment responding to the last two bans that she has been issued. A spokeswoman has previously assailed the bans as counterproductive.

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