Fearing ICE, Native Americans rush to prove their right to belong in the US

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: AP

Updated 3:16 PM EST, January 30, 2026


MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — When U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement flooded Minneapolis, Shane Mantz dug his Choctaw Nation citizenship card out of a box on his dresser and slid it into his wallet. Some strangers mistake the pest-control company manager for Latino, he said, and he fears getting caught up in ICE raids.

Like Mantz, many Native Americans are carrying tribal documents proving their U.S. citizenship in case they are stopped or questioned by federal immigration agents. This is why dozens of the 575 federally recognized Native nations are making it easier to get tribal IDs. They’re waiving fees, lowering the age of eligibility — ranging from 5 to 18 nationwide — and printing the cards faster.

It’s the first time tribal IDs have been widely used as proof of U.S. citizenship and protection against federal law enforcement, said David Wilkins, an expert on Native politics and governance at the University of Richmond. “I don’t think there’s anything historically comparable,” Wilkins said. “I find it terribly frustrating and disheartening.”

As Native Americans around the country rush to secure documents proving their right to live in the United States, many see a bitter irony.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/native-american-tribe-immigration-ice-minneapolis-id-7ea8ef784039d908135f22bf312f20d2

[littlemissmartypants]

1. These are the people you're going to want on your side during a righteous fight for freedom. .

Last edited Sat Jan 31, 2026, 10:29 AM - Edit history (2)

They understand intrinsically what it's like to lose life, liberty and their pursuit of happiness.

#1ETA this (runtime 8:48) with a big hat tip to catbyte.
Ojibwe (Chippewa) Tribe Parade in Minnesota

OP:
https://democraticunderground.com/11912756
#2ETA:
catbyte self deleted. Research was done and the content creator behind the video was discovered.
From the channel description of an earler version of this video posted on Youtube:

Epic Rides showcases parade trucks, convoys, and unique vehicle parades across the USA — all created with AI, bringing stylized and cinematic parade moments to life.
Subscribe now to explore AI-created parade rides and never miss a new upload.

to sl8 for the research.



I'm not endorsing the channel just clarifying for the sake of the truth and in keeping with DU being a reality based community.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

4. This is AI slop. It doesn't exist.

[sl8]

5. Looks like an AI generated fake video. nt

[littlemissmartypants]

6. When was the last time you had your vision tested?

[sl8]

7. A few months ago. You?

From my post in the other thread:

=======

Look at some of the other parade videos on this channel. I particularly like the one with unrestrained rhinos and lions leading a parade through LA.
https://m.youtube.com/@festivaldrift-h1h

In this video, at about 8.45 min, look at the woman holding up a bunch of feathers. When she lowers her arm, some of the feathers proceed floating down the street as if she were still holding them.

If this large, elaborate parade were real, seems like there would be news coverage of it, but I'm not seeing any.

On edit:
From the channel description of an earler version of this video posted on Youtube:

https://m.youtube.com/@EpicRides2

Epic Rides showcases parade trucks, convoys, and unique vehicle parades across the USA — all created with AI, bringing stylized and cinematic parade moments to life.

Subscribe now to explore AI-created parade rides and never miss a new upload.

[littlemissmartypants]

8. If you had posted your rationale, instead of just doing a drive-by post.

I wouldn't be so concerned about your ability to process visual images.

Furthermore, I wasn't aware that we have AI police here now.

If one doesn't present proof, one way or another, the argument lacks validity. Which I see, you have taken the time to research and post. Good job. If a little late.

[sl8]

9. AI police?

When someone presents a fake video as real, AKA misinformation, you don't think other posters should point it out? Just let it slide and let it trick even more readers?

[littlemissmartypants]

10. Not without evidence.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

11. If you watched the whole thing, there's plenty of evidence.

1. That's not Minnesota. It's nowhere. There's a variety of clues, but the main one is, anyone who knows Minnesota cities knows it's not.

2. It's not anywhere. A storefront labeled CUUNTS? Come on.

3. That's not how people act in crowds. They're all the same level of delighted, all holding their phones at the same angle, all making the same sounds. There's no chaos. If you've ever been to a parade in your life, you know it's not like that.

4. The floats have a literally unreal level of craftsmanship. There would have been news articles about them if they actually existed. There are none.

5. I don't want to get into the Ojibwe symbols/cultural artifacts; that's not my lane. But I'm sure someone could dig into it.

6. No parade in a major city would allow people to ride bison down it, lmao.

7. It's dreamy and soothing and beautiful because it's AI.

This is all in addition to the labels on the channel itself regarding digital content.

ETA: Looking at it again, there's a person walking WITHOUT LEGS in the opening shot! Why are people BEHIND a fence, fenced in WITH the parade? Why are they looking at the camera instead of the float? All of these are surefire indicators of AI.

[Gum Logger]

15. Kudos to the computer. Natives where always the stars in Westerns

This could a template for a real parade

[DSandra]

16. That same channel put out a video claiming to be of the 2026 Tournament of Roses Parade, but I saw the actual parade on

an actual TV channel coverage, and it was raining at the time, and it looks very different.

Claimed coverage:

Actual Parade:

[Wonder Why]

2. That's as sad as it gets. Totally disgusting ICE monsters.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

3. A damn shame for people whose people settled this country before white Europeans came.

THAT they have to prove that THEY BELONG here.

What is happening is that TACO Don wants this country to be like for WHITE PEOPLE ONLY who speak American English without an accent. I guess that means Melania is out!

[popsdenver]

12. Think of the fact

that IF the Indigenous Native Americans had installed a "BORDER PATROL", all the MAGAots wouldn't even be here in North America...........There was NO border patrol, so the immigrants COMMITTED GENOCIDE by literally slaughtering 15-30, maybe even up to 60 Million native North Americans........

The horrific genocide Hitler did, wiped out 6 Million, WHICH PALES in comparison to what the U.S. immigrants did to the Native Americans......

And, now, for them to have to worry about PROVING THEIR CITIZENSHIP....is an absolute TRAVESTY.... BOTH Outrageous and Ludicrous.

[Fil1957]

13. These people have been here tens of thousands of years, and have suffered horribly since the arrival of Europeans. And

now they have to go through this shit? I am always amazed how low this criminal regime will go.

[sakabatou]

14. And ICE says we need to stop calling them Nazis/the Gestapo

[ChicagoTeamster]

17. They shouldn't have to prove anything.

[twodogsbarking]

18. They were sent to reservations to live and now they can't live there either? They don't look, well, white.