In the coming months, the Supreme Court is expected to decide the future of the Indian Child Welfare Act, or ICWA – a law that is both essential to keeping Native American tribes together and maintaining the political sovereignty we’ve known for generations. The law was passed in 1978 to address the alarming rate of Native American children taken from their homes and placed with non-Native families. It was a rare bright spot for tribes in federal politics, and was well-received both here in Wisconsin and around the country. After ICWA’s passage, Oneida Nation established a Child Protection Board and pledged all available tribal resources to protect the interest of our children.
