U.T. Austin students speak out to defend Indian Child Welfare Act

Austin, TX – On Wednesday, March 22, members of Austin College students for a Democratic Society (SDS) gathered on a busy avenue, Speedway, on the College of Texas-Austin campus to talk out in opposition to the judicial assault on the Indian Baby Welfare Act (ICWA). 

SDS members chanted, “When indigenous rights are beneath assault. What can we do? Arise, struggle again!” and “Defend indigenous sovereignty! Defend ICWA!” SDS additionally handed out fliers and gave speeches about how repealing ICWA would harm 1000’s and additional erode indigenous sovereignty. 

College students additionally related this to an ongoing battle at UT to return stolen ancestral stays presently being held by the college in a warehouse. SDS member Jake Holtzman stated in his speech, “These assaults on indigenous rights and sovereignty are usually not solely occurring on the federal stage. They’re additionally occurring domestically, proper right here at UT. The college has been holding stolen ancestral stays and is refusing to offer them again to the folks of the Miakan Garza Band, who requested that UT return the stays over 4 years in the past. College students and group members are persevering with to prepare round this to demand that the stays be returned!”

In one other speech, SDS member Jules Lattimore stated, “This blatant assault on indigenous sovereignty is just not an remoted incident, nevertheless. In 2022, the unelected Supreme Court docket dominated in Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta that the state of Oklahoma can prosecute non-indigenous criminals who dedicated crimes in opposition to indigenous folks on indigenous land.”