Governor Kristi Noem recently reiterated her charge that gangs like the Banditos and members of Mexican cartels are operating freely on Native Tribal land in South Dakota. The Governor says she has visual evidence, still pictures and videos, of cartel and gang members on various reservations in South Dakota. As further evidence, Governor Noem points to the recent firing of the Chief of Tribal Police on the Pine Ridge Reservation for speaking out about cartel and gang activity on that reservation, essentially agreeing with Noem’s statement about illegal cartel activity taking place on reservations.
Governor Noem has said she will respect the bans from tribal territory and that the lines of communication from her office are open but that Tribal leaders don’t often respond to her efforts to reach out and work with them. Noem says that when she was elected Governor, she took an oath to serve all citizens of South Dakota no matter where they may live.
Because of treaties between the various tribes and the federal government, law enforcement of the State of South Dakota has no jurisdiction on tribal lands.