The Department of the Interior (DOI) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) responded on March 5 to the recommendations of the Not Invisible Act Commission, which were released in November 2023. The departments' response addresses resources for law enforcement and investigations, recruitment and retention of law enforcement personnel, as well as data collection and reporting.
According to the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ website on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Crisis page, Native American and Alaska Native communities have been grappling with a violence crisis. More than four out of five American Indian and Alaska Native women have experienced violence, with over fifty-six percent having been victims of sexual violence.
These communities also face higher rates of victimization. Female non-Hispanic American Indians and Alaska Natives experienced homicide at an alarming rate in 2020 - they had the second highest rate among all groups. Human trafficking is another issue plaguing these communities. From 2014 to 2016, there were numerous initiations or investigations into human trafficking incidents by 27 tribal law enforcement agencies and six major city law enforcement bodies that involved at least one Native victim.
The Departments' response to the Not Invisible Act Commission's report discusses how the commission conducted their research and established their findings. According to a news release dated March 5, it addresses seven areas: law enforcement & investigative resources; recruitment and retention of law enforcement; data collection and reporting; cross-jurisdictional coordination; family and survivor resources; improvement of public safety resources; and issues specific to Alaska.
"Addressing violent crimes against Indigenous peoples has long been underfunded and ignored, as a cause of intergenerational trauma that has affected our communities since colonization. Through historic efforts like the Not Invisible Act Commission, we're identifying recommendations created by Indian Country, for Indian Country. This will ensure that epidemics like the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Crisis and Human Trafficking are addressed with the resources they demand," said Secretary of the Department of the Interior, Deb Haaland.
The 231-page response from the Departments delves into how survivors of crime should be supported. The DOJ houses multiple programs for victims and witnesses of crimes, primarily funded by the Crime Victims Fund (CVF), which is administered by the Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime. The DOJ has also expanded support for Tribes and Tribal organizations that directly serve survivors of crime, as stated on page 20 of the response document.
"These recommendations are an important and necessary step toward healing the trauma, pain, and loss that Tribal communities have endured for generations. The Justice Department is committed to working with our partners at the Department of the Interior to put an end to the missing or murdered Indigenous persons and human trafficking crisis. We are deeply grateful to the Not Invisible Act commissioners and the survivors and family members of victims who testified before the Commission about their heartbreaking experiences. Those testimonies and the Commission’s recommendations will continue to guide our work," said U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland in a news release dated March 5.
