Photo: Minnesota Department of Public Safety

By Laura Durenberger-Grunow - Boreal Community Media - May 5, 2025

May 5th marks Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day, which serves as a day to raise awareness and highlight the critical concern over the disproportionately high rates of violence experienced by Indigenous communities. Across Canada and the US, rallies and gatherings are scheduled to bring together families, advocates, and community members to raise awareness, honor victims, and demand action from lawmakers and law enforcement (including two in Duluth). 

Research shows that Indigenous people, particularly women and girls, face alarmingly high rates of homicide, sexual assault, and other violent crimes compared to other populations in the United States. This year alone, the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) Indian Country Program has around 4,300 open cases, 900 of which include death investigations, 1,000 child abuse investigations, and more than 500 domestic violence and adult sexual abuse investigations. But it's not just Indigenous women who disproportionately experience violence. According to a 2023 Congressional Research Service report, 82% of Indigenous men are victims of violence in their lifetime, and Native children are more likely to experience abuse and trauma than their non-Native peers.

Data from the Minnesota Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Office shows that 716 missing Indigenous persons were reported in 2024. 10% of all missing women cases filed throughout the state were Indigenous women (out of the total population of Minnesota, only 1% is Indigenous women). 

The Congressional Research Service report found that some issues in addressing MMIW fall around gaps in data and services for some Indigenous populations and complexities of jurisdictional issues across tribal, state, and federal authorities. These issues (and others) have often hindered investigations and prosecutions, contributing to a lack of accountability and justice for victims and their families.

Recently, the US Justice Department announced an expansion of FBI resources in Minnesota, specifically supporting field officers in Minneapolis, to tackle unsolved violent crimes against Native Americans. This initiative, titled "Operation Not Forgotten," aims to provide additional personnel and support to investigate cases throughout the state. “We are committed to prioritizing the reduction of crime and the protection of communities in Indian Country,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of the FBI Minneapolis in a press release. “The additional resources from Operation Not Forgotten, along with our continued partnership with local, state, federal, and tribal agencies, will bolster the efforts of our dedicated personnel to bring cases closer to resolution.”

However, this increased support comes when proposed budget cuts are being made to tribal law enforcement programs. Last week, the White House released preliminary reductions from President Trump's 2026 discretionary budget request. One budget proposal includes a $107 million cut to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Public Safety and Justice program. In a letter to the Committee on Appropriations Chair Susan Collins, the White House states the cuts will "streamline the tribal law enforcement program to reduce redundancies and inefficiencies with other law enforcement agencies," while encouraging the BIA Public Safety program to "improve accountability and reform its service to tribal communities." The letter further suggests that tribal governments apply for grants from the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services for services. 

While future funding may be in jeopardy, groups like the National Indigenous Women's Resource Center (NIWRC) call for not only awareness of missing and murdered Peoples, but also for action and accountability. The organization suggests the following action steps that people can take (from the NIWRC website): 

• Honoring the lives of our missing and murdered relatives.
• Shedding light on the countless tragedies impacting Native women and communities.
• Highlighting the need for ongoing grassroots advocacy and organizing for change of laws, policies, protocols, and allocation of increased resources at the Tribal, federal, and state levels to end these injustices.
• Sharing information needed to understand and drive legal reforms and change.