Native American Corporations Cancel ICE Contracts
A second Native American-owned corporation recently terminated a multi-million dollar contract with ICE following community pressure, mirroring a similar decision by the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation last month. The Oneida Nation of Wisconsin’s subsidiary cancelled a $3.8 million contract for federal facility engineering and inspection after the Oneida government condemned the deal. These contracts are rooted in affirmative action programs designed to benefit historically disadvantaged, minority-owned businesses, particularly through the federal 8(a) program, which allows for no-bid awards. While some tribal corporations are severing ties, others, like Akima, continue to hold contracts with ICE, including detention services, raising concerns about the ethics of such arrangements and the potential for a new form of colonization.
John Q. Hosedrinker