MAYETTA, Kan. — The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation is in turmoil following news of a new federal contract it signed to provide preliminary designs for immigrant detention centers across the United States. The $30 million contract, awarded to KPB Services LLC, has led to a significant backlash from tribal members who feel the agreement betrays their historical trauma associated with U.S. government policies of forced removal.
Established in October, KPB Services was created by a former naval officer and has been mired in controversy over how it secured the contract without the needed competitive process. Critics within the tribe, including 74-year-old Ray Rice, express dismay, stating, We are known across the nation now as traitors and treasonous to another race of people.
Tribal Chairman Joseph “Zeke” Rupnick has pledged transparency, stating that the tribe is consulting with legal counsel to terminate the contract. In a video message, he drew parallels between past injustices experienced by Native Americans and the ongoing situation involving immigrant detentions: We were placed here because we were prisoners of war. So we must ask ourselves why we would ever participate in something that mirrors the harm and the trauma once done to our people.
The backlash has prompted swift actions within the council, with the firing of the economic leadership behind the deal and promises of reevaluation of their business pursuits. Public sentiment highlights a shared distress among Native Americans, as former essentials of inter-tribal relationships and unity against oppression seem to be obscured by economic pressures to generate income amid decreasing federal funds.
In response to a broader national context, the U.S. Supreme Court’s September ruling allows federal agents to proceed with large immigration raids, further complicating the landscape for tribal nations with established contracts with ICE. Concerningly, other indigenous companies are also partaking in contracts which tie them to detention facilities.
With economic hardship looming, tribal leaders are grappling with the implications of such federal contracts, seeking paths that align with their values and resolve community discord. The Prairie Band’s situation reflects a troubling trend where financial opportunities may threaten the foundational ethics of tribal sovereignty and identity.
Established in October, KPB Services was created by a former naval officer and has been mired in controversy over how it secured the contract without the needed competitive process. Critics within the tribe, including 74-year-old Ray Rice, express dismay, stating, We are known across the nation now as traitors and treasonous to another race of people.
Tribal Chairman Joseph “Zeke” Rupnick has pledged transparency, stating that the tribe is consulting with legal counsel to terminate the contract. In a video message, he drew parallels between past injustices experienced by Native Americans and the ongoing situation involving immigrant detentions: We were placed here because we were prisoners of war. So we must ask ourselves why we would ever participate in something that mirrors the harm and the trauma once done to our people.
The backlash has prompted swift actions within the council, with the firing of the economic leadership behind the deal and promises of reevaluation of their business pursuits. Public sentiment highlights a shared distress among Native Americans, as former essentials of inter-tribal relationships and unity against oppression seem to be obscured by economic pressures to generate income amid decreasing federal funds.
In response to a broader national context, the U.S. Supreme Court’s September ruling allows federal agents to proceed with large immigration raids, further complicating the landscape for tribal nations with established contracts with ICE. Concerningly, other indigenous companies are also partaking in contracts which tie them to detention facilities.
With economic hardship looming, tribal leaders are grappling with the implications of such federal contracts, seeking paths that align with their values and resolve community discord. The Prairie Band’s situation reflects a troubling trend where financial opportunities may threaten the foundational ethics of tribal sovereignty and identity.
