[Update 4:35 Central Time/ 21:35 GMT, Tuesday 13 July Here's a fresh report from the AP. It looks as those there's still hope that the team will make in to Manchester in time. IMO, DHS's spokesperson is still looking embarrassingly hostile.]
It now appears that the Haudenosaunee lacrosse team will miss its flight to the 2010 World Lacrosse Championships in England.
In short, the United States has indicated that it will not allow team members to re-enter the United States without US passports. Several team members are hoping to travel with Haudenosaunee passports, as they have in the past.
I'm not aware of anyone asking the Haudenosaunee to produce any identification when entering the United States from tribal lands. I don't know of anyone asked to produce identification upon entering Haudenosaunee land. I happen to travel through the Onondaga and Seneca nations on a semi-regular basis, using highways the State of New York constructed for my convenience, and I sure don't remember any checkpoints.
One hopes that the Justice Department will eventually get this one right, but given that they've had over 200 years, I'm not placing any bets. Of course, eventually won't get this lacrosse team to England by Thursday.
I'm also curious as to who is making the decision to deny re-entry. Homeland Security? (Their name seems to come up a lot.) The DoJ? Given that this issue involves the autonomy of members of sovereign nations, one would think that the Secretary of State or the President could (and would) step in and tell their employees to do their jobs and honor our nation's commitments. The longer this doesn't happen, the more I worry about (another) intentional effort to undermine tribal sovereignty.
Rights cease to become rights when you're only afforded them at someone else's convenience.
ETA: Here's the transcript of a press briefing with Philip Crowley, assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Two comments: 1) WOWOMGWTF?!? 2) It appears that the US' stated reason for denying re-entry involves REAL ID/the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.
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