Emily Pike, a 14-year-old member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe, was known for her beautiful smile. She grew up surrounded by family – her cousins, brother, mother, and grandmother. She was placed at a group home for girls aged 7-18 due to mental health concerns. On January 27, 2025, she was reported missing from the home after running away. On February 14, 2025, her remains were found. Her murder remains unsolved, her family without justice. Emily Pike’s story must never be forgotten. She should still be with us.
In honor of Women’s History Month, we are bringing attention to legislation that supports, funds, and expands resources for tribal communities dealing with violence against Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian women. The Bridging Agency Data Gaps & Ensuring Safety (BADGES) for Native Communities Act (S. 390 / H.R. 1010) is a bill that would strengthen Tribal safety by giving tribes and states tools to counter violence against missing and murdered Indigenous women and relatives (MMIWR).
Issues Facing Native American and Alaska Native Women and Relatives
The MMIWR crisis has deep historical roots, beginning with colonization and centuries of violence against Native American and Alaskan Native women and relatives. Loosely, the MMIWR crisis is defined as the disproportionately high rates of assault, abduction, and murder of Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian people. FCNL has worked in solidarity with Indigenous communities to address the MMIWR crisis for decades. We take direction from The World We Seek, which says that “Tribal police and courts should have primary authority over all criminal activity on reservation lands.
Jurisdictional Challenges to Justice
Jurisdictional challenges in the tribal justice system exacerbate the disproportionate violence against Native American and Alaska Native women and relatives. The central issue is a lack of communication between different law enforcement agencies. Tribal law enforcement agencies are disconnected from state, local, and federal agencies. As a result, it can take anywhere from one day to two weeks for tribal members to receive a police response. The first 24 to 72 hours are critical in a missing person’s case and squandering that window of opportunity results in devastating consequences for the community.
The first 24 to 72 hours are critical in a missing person’s case and squandering that window of opportunity results in devastating consequences for the community.
Furthermore, criminal case information relating to missing and murdered persons is in two databases that tribes must pay to access: the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUS). Only tribes who participate in the Tribal Access Program (TAP) have access to these databases and systems. The infrastructure required for tribes to participate in TAP is costly, and as a result their officers are unable to upload case information relating to tribal citizens.
In addition to complex jurisdictional challenges, tribes often have a difficult time having sufficient personnel through the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), which has consistently struggled to recruit and retain law enforcement officers. These hiring backlogs contribute to an already diminishing workforce and reduce public safety on reservations.
The Road to Change: BADGES for Native Communities Act (H.R. 1010, S. 390)
Tribal communities need a policy solution that is grounded in their sovereignty and self-determination. The BADGES for Native Communities Act is the first federal legislation that addresses the impacts of jurisdictional issues on the MMIWR crisis.
BADGES was specifically named as necessary legislation in the 2023 Not Invisible Act Commission Report, which gave recommendations to lawmakers and the federal government on how to combat the MMIWR crisis. This legislation authorizes the Bureau of Indian Affairs to create a demonstration program that would allow tribes and tribal serving organizations to conduct their own background investigations and security clearances, which would significantly reduce the staffing backlog. The bill also establishes a grant program for tribes, or consortiums of states and tribes, to improve coordination and communication in missing person cases and death investigations of interest to tribes. Lastly, it institutes a grant program that will assist tribes with covering the costs associated with joining TAP and building the necessary infrastructure.
FCNL is excited to report that the Senate passed this legislation! We are calling on the House of Representatives to act swiftly to ensure that justice is achieved for Native American and Alaska Native women and relatives.
