U.S. Won't Recognize Iroquois' Tribe-Issued Passports

A team of Iroquois lacrosse players are on an impromptu vacation in New York after being barred from flying to a tournament in England. The passports—issued by the Haudenosaunee confederacy of six Iroquois nations—have been accepted for over 20 years. But JFK airport wouldn't accept them on Sunday, and now The Iroquois Nationals are stuck in the city.

According to Indian Country Today, the British Consulate would not issue the team visas because the U.S. said it wouldn't let the members back into the states with their Haudenosaunee passports. And though the State Department offered to expedite U.S. passports for the team, they declined, saying using any other passport would be insulting to their culture. Player Gewas Schindler said, "It's a huge deal because these visas mean so much to our sovereignty."

The team is scheduled to play on Thursday at the World Lacrosse Championships, and already missed a scrimmage with Scotland. The team's executive director said, "Time is running out. Unless things happen quickly in the next 24 hours it's going to be very difficult to make the game," and called the situation "all bureaucracy." For now, the team is checking out the sights and practicing at Wagner College on Staten Island. Player Delby Powless said, "We're trying to keep our minds focused on the lacrosse aspect. I just want to play lacrosse."

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By Jaya Saxena in News on July 13, 2010 12:46 PM

Comments [rss]

r1b2

Oh, for crying out loud, let these kids play.

jaycjay

Kids? The two players quoted in the linked article are both in their 30s.

r1b2

Oh, for crying out loud, let these kids play.

larrybob

Might be worth noting that the Iroquois have been playing Lacrosse since before white people came to put these silly borders in place.

jaycjay

But on the other hand, back then they were OK with staying on this side of the Atlantic Ocean when they did it.

RoboticInsides

I wonder what the passports look like. I bet this stems from the passports not having high-tech safeguards like holograms and stuff. Still, if US law gives Indian tribes some degree of sovereignty and has recognized these passports for 20 years, the Iroquois should not be forced to alter their procedures.

S.D.

"The passports—issued by the Haudenosaunee confederacy of six Iroquois nations—have been accepted for over 20 years."

If true, why the sudden change?

Politburo

It hasn't been explained, which makes the government look even worse.

jaycjay

It has been explained, just not here (where the only source linked to is the Confederacy itself -- that is, one side of the dispute), and S.D.'s guess is correct. From CNN:

"The hold-up appears to come from new security measures applied to passports -- and whether the Iroquois-issued passports meet new rules applied to travel, said State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley."

http://www.cnn.com/2010/SPORT/07/13/iroquois.passport.controversy/

jaycjay

My mistake. It was RoboticInsides' comment below that I should have referred to, and replied to.

jaycjay

There's also this important point in the same CNN piece:

"But Dr. Percy Abrams, executive director of the Iroquois Nationals, said U.S. passports wouldn't even be accepted at the competition, where players have to produce a passport originating from the country they are representing -- the Haudenosaunee Confederacy."

So with U.S. passports they could make the trip. But the trip would apparently then be pointless.

Guest

You know... those damn terrorist Injuns. They might try to hijack the plane with a tomahawk or bow & arrow.

RevWaldo

Not a perfect fit, but Camper Van Beethoven has their theme song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eq7APYPzGGM

Authority sucks! I hate golf! I wanna play lacrosse!

jaycjay

"And though the State Department offered to expedite U.S. passports for the team, they declined,"

Why? What would be wrong with holding two different passports? Most people who are able to do it look at it as a good thing.

They're not being denied permission to travel, they're just choosing to make a political stand.

hungryghoast

Why should they have to concede? they're right, after all. Why NOT take a stand after a history of centuries of being forced (one way or another) to acquiesce?

Stop excusing bullshit.

jaycjay

I didn't have that they should concede, simply that it's their choice to do this.

wobbleSmith

the only way an indigenous american leaves this country is by being slowly pushed out west and systematically eliminated through germ warfare!

the USA's ability to outdouche itself never ceases to amaze me.

ASSTACKLER

^stfu whitey

MT

That's interesting. Does this mean that all these recognized tribes aren't American citizens?

Boogie Down

Many native North Americans are citizens of both Canada and the U.S. If their traditional tribal range spanned the border, they are automatically granted dual citizenship. I know that's not really what you were getting at, but it's an interesting fact nonetheless.