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Click to learn more about the Indian Child Welfare Act & why we must protect it.

About ICWA

The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) was enacted in 1978 in response to a crisis affecting American Indian and Alaska Native children, families, and tribes. Studies revealed that large numbers of Native children were being separated from their parents, extended families, and communities by state child welfare and private adoption agencies. In fact, research found that 25%–35% of all Native children were being removed; of these, 85% were placed outside of their families and communities—even when fit and willing relatives were available.

At the time, not only was ICWA vitally needed, but it was crafted to address some of the most longstanding and egregious removal practices specifically targeting Native children. Among its added protections for Native children, ICWA requires caseworkers to make several considerations when handling an ICWA case, including:

Providing active efforts to the family;

Identifying a placement that fits under the ICWA preference provisions;

Notifying the child’s tribe and the child’s parents of the child custody proceeding; and

Working actively to involve the child’s tribe and the child’s parents in the proceedings.

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Protect ICWA

The Protect ICWA Campaign was established by the National Indian Child Welfare Association, the National Congress of American Indians, the Association on American Indian Affairs, and the Native American Rights Fund.

Together, we work to serve and support Native children, youth, and families through upholding the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). The Campaign works to inform policy, legal, and communications strategies with the mission to uphold and protect ICWA. Sign up for the Protect ICWA newsletter Follow @protecticwa on Instagram Follow @protecticwa on Twitter

U.S. Supreme Court Asked to Review Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals En Banc Decision in Brackeen v. Haaland ICWA Case

Following a decision in Brackeen v. Haaland Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) case from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals en banc (reviewed before all sitting judges within the federal circuit), four of the parties in the case filed petitions asking the United States Supreme Court to review the decision.

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https://www.change.org/p/protect-the-indian-child-welfare-act

The Indian Child Welfare Act.

Youve hopefully been hearing about how the supreme court will hear the case of Brackeen v Haaland where the validity of ICWA will be decided on November 9th.

Here is a helpful breakdown on why it's so important.

(this includes food, healthcare, and our sovereign rights)

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The Lakota People's Law Project petition.

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As a native who didn't qualify for tribal protections because of tribal blood quantum laws, when I was separated from my family I wasnt placed with natives. I was placed with homophobic white christians. I'm nearly 30 now and still trying to reconnect with the culture and family I was cut off from.

ICWA fucking matters. We need to protect it. Kids need their family, they need their people. And right now they need you too.

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This Thanksgiving, if you’ve ever once in your life claimed Indian heritage, give a couple bucks to NICWA. Im not here to argue with you about whether or not you have NDN heritage, but if you truly do, the reason why you know nothing about it is because of your ancestor being taken away and colonized by the methods the Indian Child Welfare Act protects against. Right now ICWA is under attack by a horrifying court case that threatens to undo all the recent strides we’ve made in tribal sovereignty and NDN cultural preservation by eliminating NDN children.

The court case is called Brackeen v. Haaland and is spearheaded by a literal Oil & Gas lawyer named Matthew McGill that has succeeded in destroying the sovereignty of Tribal lands for pipeline construction and has even tried to disestablish entire reservations for his Big Oil paycheck. Their case is a disgusting attack with no legal merit, but still may pass in their favour because of the greed of our Supreme Court. Here’s the most important snippet from that link.

Do not let them trick you into thinking this is to protect NDN children. Child abuse is a widespread US problem and the federal and state governments have never handled it with the best interests of children in mind, let alone NDN children. This is why I am offering up a link to NICWA, a program that ACTUALLY intervenes in cases of child abuse among the NDN community, while allowing the child to remain an established member of the tribal nation. This program is led by tribal leaders who know the communities they are operating in intimately, and therefore can actually act on what is best for the child.

If you are concerned about NDN Child welfare, DO NOT support the striking down of ICWA and instead support public programs on tribal lands and tribal child welfare programs like NICWA.

Direct Link To Give

Tiktok by oodhamboiii(they/he)

Video ID:

A masculine person wearing a teal shirt with pictures on the front sits in a tan room with a picture behind him and a door to his right. He is Native-American with long brown un-braided hair. His hair is split evenly and sits on his chest. He has a mustache and a short beard.

Their facial expression is upset, and they sit close to the camera. Above them are the following words:

"In 4 days, the United States Gov't will end protections against Indigenous youth."

And then, "The Indian Child Welfare Act(ICWA) prevents Native children from being stolen & forced into residential schools."

Followed by, "Opposition deems Native Americans growing up with their culture, "racist & unconstitutional."

Lastly, "Enacted for only 45 years, it has only taken 1 generation for it to be repealed."

The video ends after this statement is shown.

The video has Little Dark Age by MGMT playing. Lyrics heard in the video are "I know that if you hide, it doesn't go away/If you get out of bed and find me standing all alone/Open-eyed, burn the page, my little dark age"

:End ID

This video was posted 17 hours ago as of this reposting. That means that there is only 3 days. Support the indigenous community as they fight this.

#saveICWA