South Dakota Republican Gov. Kristi Noem is hosting the Tribal Public Safety Crisis Summit in Pierre Monday.
Noem invited tribal leaders from all nine tribes, sheriffs, the congressional delegation, the attorney general, US Attorney and more.
The governor said she hopes the conversations at the summit will get the ball rolling towards real solutions to address drug addiction, violent crime and human trafficking she said all have risen on tribal reservations.
Noem is blaming Mexican drug cartels. In response, all nine tribes located in the state have banned her from their reservations.
Flandreau Santee and Standing Rock Sioux Tribes confirm they are sending dignitaries to the summit. Others are declining or have not returned requests for comment.
Some tribal leaders have expressed a desire to open conversations with the state but want the governor to apologize for comments she made in March related to tribal parents and children.
Noem has not indicated whether she plans to apologies for saying Native children don’t have any hope.
Noem said in her May invitation to tribal leaders she hopes to discuss law enforcement mutual aid agreements between the state and a tribe.
