U.S. Senators Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) have introduced a bipartisan bill aimed at improving law enforcement support for Tribal communities. The proposed legislation, known as the Tribal Warrant Fairness Act, would authorize the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) to assist Tribal law enforcement in apprehending violent criminals and searching for missing children.
Currently, the USMS provides these services to other law enforcement agencies but is not permitted to do so for Tribal authorities. This gap has been identified as a barrier to addressing high rates of violence in Tribal areas, especially against women and children.
“I am steadfast in my commitment to the safety and security of our Tribal communities,” said Senator Mullin. “The Tribal Warrant Fairness Act is a commonsense solution to fill in the jurisdictional gaps and grant the United States Marshals Service authority to assist where needed with their unique capabilities.”
Senator Cortez Masto added, “Tribal communities need more tools to combat violent crime. It is both ridiculous and cruel that Tribal law enforcement can’t use the U.S. Marshals Service like any other comparable law enforcement agency would to keep their communities safe. My bipartisan bill would fix this injustice and help catch violent criminals faster.”
The full text of the Tribal Warrant Fairness Act is available online.
