Dawn N. Ison, U.S. Attorney | Department Of Justice Eastern District Of Michigan
The Justice Department has announced a new initiative to address unresolved violent crimes in Indian Country, focusing on cases involving missing and murdered indigenous persons. The operation will involve the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) deploying 60 personnel on 90-day assignments over a six-month period. This effort is considered the largest national allocation of FBI resources to tackle crime in Indian Country to date.
The FBI teams will assist field offices located in several cities, including Albuquerque, Denver, Detroit, Jackson, Minneapolis, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, Portland, Seattle, and Salt Lake City. This operation will see collaboration with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Tribal law enforcement agencies.
To enhance their investigative capabilities, FBI personnel will work alongside the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit, utilizing advanced forensic tools. The collaboration extends to U.S. Attorney’s Offices, which will vigorously prosecute referred cases.
Attorney General Pam Bondi stated, "Crime rates in American Indian and Alaska Native communities are unacceptably high. By surging FBI resources and collaborating closely with US Attorneys and Tribal law enforcement to prosecute cases, the Department of Justice will help deliver the accountability that these communities deserve.” FBI Director Kash Patel emphasized the commitment to locating violent offenders and those missing, under the initiative named Operation Not Forgotten.
Acting United States Attorney Julie Beck highlighted the longstanding impact of missing and murdered indigenous persons on Tribal communities, reaffirming support from local, state, federal, and tribal law enforcement partners.
The situation in Indian Country remains challenging, with approximately 4,300 active investigations at the start of Fiscal Year 2025. These include over 900 investigations into deaths, 1,000 into child abuse, and more than 500 concerning domestic violence and adult sexual abuse.
Operation Not Forgotten is building on previous efforts initiated under Executive Order 13898 by the Trump Administration, which established the Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives. Over the past two years, the initiative has contributed to investigations leading to the recovery of 10 child victims, 52 arrests, and 25 legal actions.
The operation aims to expand the resources allocated for addressing the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous people. The Department's MMIP Regional Outreach Program supports this by placing legal experts and coordinators in U.S. Attorneys’ Offices nationwide to enhance their response to such cases.
