Proclamation Issued For Missing And Murdered American Indians And Alaska Natives Awareness Day

U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme and the Department of Justice commemorated Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives Awareness Day as proclaimed by President Donald J. Trump on Tuesday, May 5.

President Trump signed a proclamation declaring May 5 as Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives Awareness Day. The proclamation affirmed the government's commitment to ending violence against these Americans and to honoring those whose lives have been lost.

Attorney General William P. Barr said in a statement, 'American Indian and Alaska Native people have suffered injustices for hundreds of years, including today’s rampant domestic and sexual violence carried out primarily against women and girls. Today, President Trump has proclaimed a day to remember all those missing and lost to this unacceptable violence. Through the Presidential Task Force — co-chaired by Katie Sullivan, who heads our Office of Justice Programs — and in partnership with Tribal Nations, we are all committed to ending this cycle of violence. To that end, we have brought unprecedented resources to support public safety and victim services, including $270 million in grant funding in fiscal year 2019. The department is also hiring 11 coordinators to consult with tribes and develop common protocols to address this scourge of violence. From this day forward, today’s proclamation marks a time for all of us to honor Native Americans who have been lost and rededicate ourselves to what President Trump has called ‘our mission to bring healing, justice, hope, and restoration’ to American Indian and Alaska Native communities.”

'We know that violence in tribal communities is too common. Native women and children suffer disproportionally high rates of domestic violence and sexual assault and too often go missing or are murdered. Montana has had several tragic cases,' said Alme, who is vice chairman of the Department of Justice's Native American Issues Subcommittee. 'Today, we remember all those who have been murdered or have disappeared. By all of us working together, I believe we can find solutions and stop this crisis.'