FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs signed an agreement to establish guidelines to provide effective and efficient law enforcement of criminal investigations in India

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced that the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) signed an agreement to build guidelines to provide for the effective and efficient administration of criminal investigations in India during remarks at the 2022 White House Tribal Nations Summit. This is the first update to a memorandum of agreement between agencies since the early 1990s.

The announcement was discussed during a panel featuring Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland and Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta at the Summit. The Summit offers an opportunity for administration and tribal leaders from 574 federally identified tribes to discuss how the federal government can invest in and strengthen nation-to-nation relations to ensure that progress in India endures in the future.

The Associate Attorney General, Vanita Gupta, stated that this agreement is a significant step toward advancing public safety in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. The Department of Justice is dedicated to working with the Department of the Interior to investigate crimes in Indian countries, such as reports of missing or murdered indigenous people, quickly, effectively, and respectfully. Gupta said they are grateful to the tribes for providing input into this new policy.

The FBI has an integral role in successfully tackling matters in the country’s Indian Country communities, and this updated MOU affirms our dedication to the mission of protecting all Americans. The FBI Director, Christopher Wray, noted that the FBI is committed to ongoing and continued collaboration with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The FBI will not abandon its support of the tribal law enforcement agency partners and coordination with the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Assistant Secretary Bryan Newland for Indian Affairs reiterated that interagency coordination is crucial with the complexities of the jurisdiction in tribal communities. This agreement supports an all-of-government approach to addressing federal responsibilities and tribal requirements in India. He added that all federal agencies share a treaty and trust responsibility to safeguard tribal sovereignty and revitalize tribal communities. This collaboration will further assist in keeping Native people safe in their homes and communities.

Ensuring public safety and justice is the most fundamental of government services provided in tribal communities. The BIA Office of Justice Services’ mission is to uphold tribal sovereignty and provide for the safety of Indian communities by ensuring the protection of life and property, enforcing laws, maintaining justice and order, and ensuring sentenced American Indian offenders are restricted in safe, secure, and humane environments. At the same time, the Department of Justice’s mission is to uphold the rule of law, keep India safe, and protect civil rights.