The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation has officially withdrawn from a nearly $30 million federal contract to design immigrant detention centers, a decision fueled by an overwhelming wave of online criticism. The announcement was made on Wednesday night, shortly after the tribe's economic development leaders, who were responsible for brokered the agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), were terminated from their positions.
This contract faced substantial backlash as many Native Americans objected to a tribal entity participating in the design of facilities that relate to the contentious issues of mass deportation and detention of individuals, including many indigenous people. The deal was characterized as 'disgusting' and 'cruel' by critics, considering the historical trauma endured by Native Americans due to federal policies.
Tribal Chairman Joseph 'Zeke' Rupnick reflected on the painful history which connects modern reservations to past detention centers in his communication. In a video address last week, he emphasized that reservations were the government's initial attempts at detaining Native American populations.
Following heavy criticism, Rupnick expressed relief at the tribal council’s decision to sever all ties with the ICE-affiliated interests, stating, 'Our Nation has successfully exited all third-party related interests affiliated with ICE.' The tribe is now looking toward future meetings to ensure that economic interests do not conflict with their values.
The Prairie Band Potawatomi is known for its diverse business portfolio, encompassing healthcare management, general contracting, and interior design. Despite the recent turmoil, the tribe's leaders are committed to addressing the impacts of such situations on their identity and community well-being.
