Oklahoma AG Drummond, 39-State Coalition Urge Congress to Expand Federal Support for Tribal Law Enforcement

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond has joined a bipartisan coalition of 39 attorneys general calling on Congress to pass the Tribal Warrant Fairness Act, a bill they say would strengthen federal partnerships with tribal nations and improve the response to Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP), particularly in states with large tribal jurisdictions such as Oklahoma.

Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.)

The legislation, introduced by U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), would expand the authority of the U.S. Marshals Service to assist tribal law enforcement, allow tribal officers to serve on federal fugitive task forces, and require federal agencies to consult with tribes when implementing the law.

In a letter to congressional leaders, Drummond and attorneys general from 38 other states and territories argued that the bill “is critical to quickly deploying law enforcement resources where they are most needed,” calling the measure an essential tool for protecting Native children and improving public safety on tribal lands. The coalition said expanding Marshals Service support “will help level the public safety playing field” for tribal nations contending with disproportionate rates of violence and disappearances among Native citizens.

Under current federal law, the U.S. Marshals Service can assist state, local and federal law enforcement agencies in locating missing children. The Tribal Warrant Fairness Act would explicitly add tribal law enforcement agencies to that list, a reform the attorneys general say is urgently needed. “When a child is missing, the first 48 hours are critical,” the coalition wrote, supporting an “all-of-government approach” to improve recovery outcomes.

The bill would also authorize tribal officers to join the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Apprehension Task Force and affirm tribal authority to locate and apprehend fugitives through federal task forces or other lawful means. Recent joint operations in Oklahoma and South Dakota involving murder, kidnapping and rape cases demonstrate the importance of integrating tribal officers into these efforts, the letter said.

Beyond supporting the Act, the coalition urged Congress to consider amending federal flight-from-prosecution statutes so they fully apply to tribal court cases. Current law criminalizes interstate flight to avoid prosecution or testimony but does not clearly extend these protections to tribal criminal proceedings. The attorneys general said this gap “obstructs tribal prosecutions” and undermines public safety in Indian Country.

Impact on Oklahoma and the Cherokee Nation Reservation

Oklahoma’s uniquely complex jurisdictional landscape — which includes the Cherokee Nation Reservation and other reservations affirmed in the wake of McGirt v. Oklahoma , makes cooperation between federal and tribal law enforcement essential.

The Cherokee Nation Reservation, covering roughly 7,000 square miles across northeast Oklahoma, includes dozens of law enforcement agencies, rural communities and areas where missing persons investigations often span tribal, state and federal jurisdictions. Improved coordination through the U.S. Marshals Service could strengthen rapid response during the first hours of a missing child case, one of the priorities emphasized in the coalition letter.

Oklahoma is home to one of the largest Native populations in the United States, and Cherokee Nation is the largest tribal government in the country. The state also faces a high number of MMIP (MMCP) cases, a crisis Cherokee Nation, Muscogee Nation, and other tribal nations have repeatedly raised with federal agencies. Drummond said the Tribal Warrant Fairness Act represents a “necessary next step” to address gaps that hinder joint investigations.

Broad Bipartisan Support

The coalition letter was co-led by Attorneys General Marty Jackley (South Dakota), Aaron Ford (Nevada), Raúl Torrez (New Mexico) and Drummond. Signatories include attorneys general from states as varied as California, New York, Texas, Hawaii, Minnesota and West Virginia , an unusual show of unity around MMIP, tribal jurisdiction and federal law enforcement reform.

Jackley emphasized that the legislation aligns with ongoing efforts to protect Native families. “We need Congress to get involved in addressing the MMIP problem in our states,” he said.

Congressional consideration of S.3041 will continue into 2026. If passed, the Tribal Warrant Fairness Act would mark one of the most significant expansions of federal–tribal law enforcement cooperation in years.