Tribal campus was put on lockdown after ICE alert

By Nicole Montesano and Danielle Harrison

Smoke Signals staff writers

The Tribal campus was locked down for several hours Tuesday, Oct. 21, after the Tribe received reports that two Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were at the Tribal Police station.

The lockdown was lifted Wednesday, Oct. 22, after it was confirmed that the individuals were not ICE agents but allegedly Border Patrol/Department of Homeland Security agents who had left the premises and not returned.

"As of this morning Tribal Police were able to make contact and have confirmed the individuals on campus yesterday were not ICE agents," Tribal Council Chief of Staff Stacia Hernandez said. "The Tribal Police (have) established a direct line of communication with the local ICE office (in Portland) and they have assured us that ICE would not operate on the Grand Ronde Reservation without prior notification. Tribal Police are in the process of establishing lines of communication with the local federal agencies to ensure that any future potential activity is communicated in advance. As always, please contact the Tribal Police if you see anything concerning in the area. At this time, we are lifting the lockdown and all departments can resume regular business." 

Additionally, during the Wednesday, Oct. 22, Tribal Council meeting, Tribal Police Chief Jake McKnight said that if anyone had concerns about agents on the reservation, to call local police.

“If someone comes up to you in plainclothes and you feel uncomfortable, call 911, so we can come in and be a voice of reason in that situation,” McKnight said. “We will respond and help you through this.”

Tribal Council Vice Chair Chris Mercier also read a statement regarding the situation.

“Out of an abundance of caution and based off the information we had at the time, the decision was made to secure Tribal buildings to avoid any workplace disruptions out of concern for the health and well-being of our members and employees. This morning, Tribal Police were able to make contact and have confirmed the individuals on campus yesterday were not ICE agents…The Tribe is not able to prevent federal agents from coming on to the reservation to enforce federal laws and policies; however, we believe any federal activity on the reservation should be communicated in advance to the Tribal government. Tribal Police are in the process of establishing lines of communication with other local federal agencies. We want to thank our members and staff for being vigilant and we look forward to more conversations on this important topic. We will be sure to update our members as information becomes available.”

The campus was first locked down just after 1 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21 and that lockdown status was updated late in the afternoon.

"Thank you for your vigilance and responsiveness this afternoon," Tribal Council Chief of Staff Stacia Hernandez said. "We appreciate all of you springing into action to help bring awareness to a fluid situation. We are asking staff to leave Tribal buildings in lockdown for the remainder of the week. By locking things down, we are simply asking that all doors remained locked and that access be restricted to employees, Tribal members and those with normal business, which is to be expected. Employees and visitors are able to come and go as they please, but please utilize your badge to access buildings."

When the lockdown was first announced, an email alert was sent to all employees. 

“In the event you are approached by an ICE agent while at work, please remain calm and advise the agent that you do not have authority to allow access to workspaces or provide any Tribal documents,” the email stated. “Please direct the ICE agent to the Tribal Police Department. Tribal Police are aware of the situation and will take the lead on all communications with ICE. You can reach the Tribal PD at 541-921-2927.”

The Tribe’s Facebook page noted that, “We recognize that this may cause concern within the membership. Please know that Tribal Council is working closely with the Tribal Police Department to monitor the situation.”

In addition to the campus-wide lockdown, the fish distribution at the Grand Ronde Food Bank was postponed to Wednesday, Oct. 22.