MINNEAPOLIS, MN (AP)— Many of those whose ancestors lived in the U.S. thousands of years before Europeans are carrying tribal identification for protection against the Trump administration’s anti-immigration agenda.
Dozens of the 575 federally recognized Native American tribes are making it easier to get tribal IDs by waiving fees, lowering the age of eligibility, and printing cards on the spot. Experts say it’s the first time tribal ID cards have been widely used as proof of U.S. citizenship and protection against federal law enforcement.
As Native Americans rush to secure the documents, many see a bitter irony in the first people of the land having to prove that they too are U.S. citizens.
