Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM) along with Representative Tom Cole (R-OK), along with Reps. Darrell Issa (R-CA), Rick Larsen (D-WA) introduced H.R. 7490, the Tribal Warrant Fairness Act, to grant the United States Marshal Service (USMS) the authority to both execute arrest warrants on behalf of Tribal law enforcement and assist in searching for missing children.

“For too long, jurisdictional gaps have made it harder to protect Native children,” said Representative Leger Fernández. “When a Native American child goes missing, tribes should be able to utilize every tool to find them. Our bipartisan Tribal Warrant Fairness Act strengthens coordination between tribal and federal authorities, respects tribal sovereignty, and helps keep children safe.”

“For far too long, predators have preyed on vulnerable children in Indian Country at alarming rates. Yet, Tribal law enfrcement still faces obstacles and limitations when it comes to holding these predators accountable,” said Representative Cole. “By improving coordination and strengthening the partnership between USMS and Tribal law enforcement, the Tribal Warrant Fairness Act will make Native American communities safer and ultimately bring more criminals to justice. I would like to thank Representatives Issa, Larsen, and Leger Fernández for their coordination on this legislation, as it is critical that Tribal governments have the resources they need to protect their children.”

“I’m proud to join my colleagues as we introduce the Tribal Warrant Fairness Act and reaffirm our shared commitment to the rule of law across all jurisdictions. This much-needed legislation will specifically strengthen public safety in these communities by improving coordination between Tribal and federal authorities and ensuring law enforcement is empowered to act swiftly in urgent cases, especially involving missing children,” said Representative Issa.

“Tribal warrants should be enforced to the fullest extent of the law, just like all other warrants,” said Representative Larsen. “I thank Chair Cole for his work to uphold Tribal sovereignty in Congress. I will continue working with him to better support Tribal law enforcement through this bill and other efforts to keep Tribes and communities across Northwest Washington safe.”

Background:

In 2023, the Not Invisible Act Commission found that federal law has set limitations on Tribal law enforcement, one of which is the inability and lack of authority for the United States Marshal Service (USMS) to assist Tribal law enforcement with warrants for arrest and searching for missing children, as the USMS would normally do with state, federal, and local agencies. Ultimately, this limits the USMS’ ability to execute Tribal arrest warrants.

The Tribal Warrant Fairness Act would grant the USMS the authority to execute arrest warrants on behalf of Tribal law enforcement and allow the USMS to assist Tribal law enforcement in searching for missing children. Additionally, this legislation would allow for a more rapid apprehension of violent suspects, grant the authority to the USMS to act on an individual who has a violent felony arrest warrant from Tribal courts and poses a threat to public safety outside of Tribal lands, and allow the participation of Tribal law enforcement in the Fugitive Apprehension Task Forces.

Overall, the Tribal Warrant Fairness Act will improve public safety, enhance interagency cooperation, and close jurisdictional gaps that often hinder law enforcement efforts on Tribal lands.

H.R. 7490 is a bicameral, bipartisan bill, as it was also introduced by Senators Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) and Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-NV) in the Senate. The legislation has also been endorsed by the United States Marshal Service (USMS), the United South and Eastern Tribes (USET), the National Native American Law Enforcement Association (NNALEA), and the Coalition of Large Tribes (COLT).

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