OTTAWA — Several First Nations are warning their members to be wary of crossing the border into the United States in response to immigration enforcement raids and the detention of some U.S. tribal citizens.
The Kashechewan First Nation in northern Ontario — which was forced to evacuate earlier this month when local water and sewage systems failed — posted on social media that residents evacuated to Niagara Falls, Ont., should refrain from crossing the border into Buffalo, N.Y.
“For the safety and security of its evacuees sent to Niagara Falls, Kashechewan First Nation has passed a motion directing its residents to stay within the Canadian side of the border during this period of time, by order of chief and council,” the First Nation said.
“The reason is due to the current political climate and heightened patrol enforcement measures being undertaken in the U.S.”
Mississauga First Nation also warned its members against crossing the border, citing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s recent detention of Indigenous individuals.
Three Oglala Sioux Tribe members were detained at a homeless encampment by ICE agents in Minnesota earlier this year.
And last year, elected leaders of the Navajo Nation said that tribal citizens in Arizona and New Mexico reported being stopped and detained by ICE officers.
In November, a member of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community in Arizona who had been arrested in Iowa was scheduled to be deported before the error was caught and she was released.
That same month, Elaine Miles — a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation in Oregon and an actress known for her roles on “Northern Exposure” and “The Last of Us” — said she was stopped by ICE officers in Washington state who told her that her tribal ID looked fake.
“Chief and council of Mississauga First Nation strongly condemn these actions. Members travelling to the U.S. are urged to take extra precautions by ensuring all identification is up to date,” the Mississauga First Nation in Ontario wrote on social media.
ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Several other First Nations have issued similar warnings, including Six Nations of the Grand River near Hamilton, Ont., and Garden River First Nation near Sault Ste. Marie.
Saint Regis Mohawk Indian Territory, which straddles the Ontario, Quebec and New York borders, warned its members to carry their identification with them and to call tribal police if they come into contact with ICE.
Mohawk Council of Kahnawake Grand Chief Cody Diabo, who also serves as the co-chair of the Jay Treaty Border Alliance and sits in the Iroquois Caucus, said it’s important for Indigenous people to be armed with information — and proper identification — when they’re crossing the border.
The Jay Treaty, signed in 1794 between the U.S. and Great Britain, was meant to ensure Indigenous people could pass freely across the border.
Canada does not recognize that treaty, while the U.S. does. That means First Nations members in Canada with at least 50 per cent blood quantum can live and work in the U.S. with their First Nations status card and an accompanying letter detailing their familial history. Non-Indigenous Canadians, meanwhile, are required to show their passports at border crossings and to apply for immigration through different channels.
Diabo said heightened fears triggered by ICE’s aggressive actions undermine long-standing relationships that predate the founding of both countries.
“I guess we’re just being racially profiled because we have darker skin, darker hair, so it’s easier to pick us up from a crowd and say, ‘I think they’re an illegal immigrant,'” Diabo said when asked about ICE actions against Indigenous individuals.
“The geopolitical landscape is shifting, for sure. We need to adapt and make sure we stand up for our rights and push where needed, but do it in a safe manner and not put ourselves in harm’s way.”
Ontario Regional Chief Abram Benedict, who is also a co-chair of the Jay Treaty Alliance, said he’s aware of at least one First Nations individual who was detained by ICE.
“He was returned to Canada and they did seize his certificate of Indian status,” Benedict said.
“He was lucky that he didn’t have more of a negative interaction with them, and that he wasn’t put into the deportation system … The last thing we want is one of our First Nations citizens being in a detention center and having to go through this whole rigamarole processing process that can be very intrusive and, frankly, unnecessary.”
The Jay Treaty Alliance is encouraging First Nations individuals crossing the border to the U.S. to ensure they are carrying their familial lineage letter, status card, long-form birth certificate and government-issued photo ID while in the U.S.
U.S. tribal members are being encouraged to carry their tribal IDs, state-issued IDs or driver’s licences, or a U.S. passport.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 23, 2026.
— With files from The Associated Press
Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian Press
