In a significant development, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has been banished from the Rosebud Indian Reservation, making it the fourth Lakota tribe to bar her from its lands. The decision comes in the wake of inflammatory statements made by Noem, including her claim that tribal leaders were involved with Mexican drug cartels.

If Governor Noem disregards the ban and sets foot on any of the tribal land she has been barred from, she could face removal, detention, and arrest, according to Chase Iron Eyes, the Lakota Law Project Director.

The Rosebud Sioux Tribal Council imposed the ban, citing Noem's inflammatory statements and her "uninvited presence" at a quarterly meeting between the tribes and the U.S. Forest Service in March. The council highlighted years of hostility from Noem's administration as the basis for their decision.

Governor Noem has previously clashed with the Lakota tribes over several issues. These include her support for the Keystone XL pipeline, which passes through land considered sacred by the Sioux, her removal of important sections of Native American history from state educational standards, and allegations of withholding millions of dollars in federal Emergency Rental Assistance funding from the tribes.

The Rosebud Council has accused Noem of engaging in a "slanderous campaign" against the tribes since 2024, culminating in the cartel collusion accusation in March. At the time, Rosebud Sioux Tribe President Scott Herman denounced Noem's statements as "malicious and defamatory" and demanded an apology.

The council has stated that they will only acknowledge Noem if she offers an apology and presents a plan of action for supporting the Lakota through policy and legislation. They have emphasized that Governor Noem's recent racial allegations have further strained state-tribe relations.

The banishment by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe comes in the context of Noem's potential as a shortlisted Vice Presidential candidate for the Republican frontrunner, Donald Trump. However, the council sees Noem's actions as an attack on tribal sovereignty and has vowed not to tolerate her "disingenuous nature towards Native Americans."

As of now, there has been no comment from Governor Noem's spokesman, Ian Fury, regarding the banishment. Previously, in response to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's banishment of Noem, Fury reiterated the governor's claim of cooperation between tribes and drug cartels.

Joining the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe, the Rosebud Sioux Tribe's banishment means that Noem is now considered an illegal presence on 14 percent of the land within her claimed state boundaries, according to Chase Iron Eyes.

The banishment of Governor Noem from the Rosebud Indian Reservation signals a deepening rift between the tribes and the governor's administration. It remains to be seen whether Noem will offer an apology and take concrete steps toward rebuilding trust and supporting the Lakota community through meaningful policies and legislation.