Native leaders press for more action to address crisis of missing, murdered Indigenous people

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

Native American leaders held a conference to press for action on missing and murdered Indigenous people in Utah.
Legislation to extend the life of a state task force focused on the issue is under consideration by lawmakers.
Separately, another contingent pressed for support for a measure bolstering the role of tribal officials in foster care cases involving Native American children.

SALT LAKE CITY — As Utah lawmakers weigh legislation to maintain the task force investigating the disproportionately high number of missing and murdered Indigenous people, a coalition of Native American leaders gathered to say such action is needed.

"We're here today because our work is far from finished," said Kassie John, one of several speakers who addressed a conference Thursday focused on the issue. "The crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous relatives continues to devastate families across not just Utah but the United States as well. Our communities cannot bear this burden alone. We need everyone's support. We need your support. We need our state and local officials' support."

State lawmakers created the Murdered and Missing Indigenous Relatives Task Force in 2020, and the body issued a report in late 2023 highlighting the disparate rates of missing and murdered Native Americans in Utah, an issue that extends to the national level. Among one of the oft-repeated stats from the report, cited at Thursday's conference, is that though American Indian and Alaska Native people account for around 1.6% of Utah's population, they account for more than 5% of murder victims.

A measure is up for consideration in the Utah Legislature, HB15, to extend the task force's duties, which were to have ended last November, until July 1, 2027. But while supportive of the task force's efforts, the participants at Thursday's conference, held at the state Capitol in Salt Lake City, emphasized that additional action is needed on top of that.

Autumn Gillard, cultural resource manager of the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, holds a sign during a rally supporting the Indian Family Preservation Act, also known as HB30, in the rotunda of the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Thursday. (Photo: Isaac Hale, Deseret News)

The efforts "can't just be in legislation. It has to be an action, a collaboration, an unwavering commitment to justice for Indigenous people," said John, Miss Indian World 2024-25 and a member of the Navajo Nation.

Separately, but also in the Capitol Thursday, Utah Rep. Angela Romero organized a rally to promote HB30, the Indian Family Preservation Act, meant to bolster the role of tribal officials in foster care cases involving Native American children. Romero, D-Salt Lake City, is the sponsor of HB15 and HB30.

"Tribes want to be at the table to know where their citizens are going," said Tamra Borchardt-Slayton, health director of the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah and a speaker at the HB30 rally.

'Peace, safety and healing'

Dena Ned, a member of the board of directors of Restoring Ancestral Winds Inc., or RAWI, the group that hosted the conference on the missing and murdered Indigenous people issue, called on participants of the event to join the cause. Those in the room, she said, are "going to help make the change happen."

Yolanda Francisco, the executive director of Restoring Ancestral Winds Inc., which is focused on ending violence in Native communities, also emphasized the importance of collective attention and action to the issue. The help of tribal representatives, Utah lawmakers and others working together is vital. "May our voices resonate with others and give peace, safety and healing to Native communities so that one day we can live and thrive in society without fear and truly be free from violence," Francisco said.

The Grayhawk Singers perform during a rally supporting the Indian Family Preservation Act, also known as HB30, held in the rotunda of the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Thursday. (Photo: Isaac Hale, Deseret News)

The 2023 report outlined some of the issues that might factor in the higher rates of missing and murdered people in the Indigenous community. It also outlined a range of recommendations to address the issue, including stronger ties between tribal and state law enforcement officials and medical examiners.

HB15 calls for another report by Sept. 30, 2026, looking into new ways to approach unsolved cases of missing and murdered people and ways to increase outreach to communities most impacted by the issue, among other things. The measure received a favorable recommendation from the House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee on Wednesday and now awaits consideration by the full House.

HB30 hasn't yet gotten a committee hearing, but its proponents are pressing for action. Borchardt-Slayton said the bill is important as it would give tribal representatives added assurance they would have a role in foster care cases involving Native American children, something that doesn't always occur. "You have to remember, in the state of Utah as of 2022, 4% of (child) removal cases were actually Native American, and we only make up 1.6% of the population of the state of Utah," she said.

Matt Poss, third from left, interim executive director and director of finance operations of the Urban Indian Center of Salt Lake, walks in a circle hand-in-hand with other attendees during a rally supporting the Indian Family Preservation Act, also known as HB30, held in the rotunda of the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Thursday. (Photo: Isaac Hale, Deseret News)

Queried on HB30, House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, said he understands the federal government addressed the issues at play. He views the state proposal as "duplicative" of action federal lawmakers have already taken.

"Not to say that it may not get heard," Schultz said, but the issue is "something the federal government addressed last year."

Contributing: Bridger Beal-Cvetko

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