MEDIA STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LDF Tribal Council Issues Statement on Wisconsin Supreme Court Decision Striking Down Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers Administration’s Safer at Home Order
LAC DU FLAMBEAU—MAY 14, 2020—The Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians Tribal Council today issued the following statement regarding the Wisconsin State Supreme Court decision reversing Governor Tony Evers Administration’s Safer at Home Order.
"The Tribal Council is reviewing the State Supreme Court decision handed down this afternoon. For the time being—regardless of the State Supreme Court Order—Federal Law recognizes the Tribal Council's authority and its legal rights to keep in effect the Shelter-At-Home Declaration and curfew on the Reservation.”
“This applies to everyone—both Tribal and non-Tribal people and businesses—within the exterior boundaries of the Reservation. The limited access to all Tribal lands will remain in place.”
“For months, we've been working to prevent COVID-19 from arriving on the Reservation, and we continue to do all we can going forward to keep everyone safe. That's why we respectfully ask all visitors to stay home until we determine the safest way to reopen the Reservation. The last thing we as a Tribe want is someone traveling hours to get here only to find out that access to Tribal lands is limited to permanent residents only.”
“Once Tribal Council and its legal counsel review the State Supreme Court ruling, we will announce our plan going forward. The Tribe has been working on and continues to work on a plan to safely reopen. Historically, Tribes have suffered significant illness and loss of human life for a variety of reasons when pandemics sweep across the land. Therefore, our No. 1 priority is to keep everyone as safe as possible who live, work and visit the Reservation. So for now, please continue to observe the Shelter-At-Home Order and the curfew."
Stay informed at LDFTribe.com where there’s a dedicated coronavirus page with community updates and resources.
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