UK refuses entry to athletes traveling on Iroquois Nation passports...
Jul 12, 2010, 12:36 pm
#1
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UK refuses entry to athletes traveling on Iroquois Nation passports...
...because the DHS won't guarantee their re-entry to the US.
http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.s...m_en_rout.html
Instead of traveling to England to compete for the world title in lacrosse, the Iroquois Nationals team remained in limbo in New York City for a second day during a visa dispute, team officials said.
When asked around noon if any progress had been made, Executive Director Percy Abrams said, "Put simply, no."
Instead, the 23 members of the team held an impromptu press event at Times Square and took a sightseeing tour of the city while waiting for clearance to fly to the 2010 World Lacrosse Championships, Abrams said.
They will practice later tonight at the invitation of Coach Jason Rife at Wagner College on Staten Island.
Abrams said the team could still make the opening game Thursday if they left Tuesday. "We're very hopeful that we'll be able to stand on that field July 15 and play England," he said.
Here's the snag: the U.S. government has not guaranteed entry back into the United States for those players traveling on passports issued by the Iroquois nation, Abrams said.
England demanded a letter from U.S. authorities promising to allow re-entry to the Iroquois players after the tournament. When Homeland Security refused, England declined to give the team members visas.
Abrams said numerous people were working with the U.S. government to rectify the situation. The team traveled to Australia in 2002 without any problems, he said. The 2006 tournament was in Canada, which did not require the same visa process.
"We're keeping our team moving, hoping we can play on that field," he said. "All the political stuff, we have no control about that."
When asked around noon if any progress had been made, Executive Director Percy Abrams said, "Put simply, no."
Instead, the 23 members of the team held an impromptu press event at Times Square and took a sightseeing tour of the city while waiting for clearance to fly to the 2010 World Lacrosse Championships, Abrams said.
They will practice later tonight at the invitation of Coach Jason Rife at Wagner College on Staten Island.
Abrams said the team could still make the opening game Thursday if they left Tuesday. "We're very hopeful that we'll be able to stand on that field July 15 and play England," he said.
Here's the snag: the U.S. government has not guaranteed entry back into the United States for those players traveling on passports issued by the Iroquois nation, Abrams said.
England demanded a letter from U.S. authorities promising to allow re-entry to the Iroquois players after the tournament. When Homeland Security refused, England declined to give the team members visas.
Abrams said numerous people were working with the U.S. government to rectify the situation. The team traveled to Australia in 2002 without any problems, he said. The 2006 tournament was in Canada, which did not require the same visa process.
"We're keeping our team moving, hoping we can play on that field," he said. "All the political stuff, we have no control about that."
Jul 12, 2010, 1:22 pm
#2
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What a ridiculous thing that DHS isn't honoring the passports. I am sure this is covered by some treaty that DHS has decided to ignore.
Jul 12, 2010, 1:46 pm
#4
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The USG has treaty obligations with some tribes -- primarily some of those Native Americans that are part of cross-border tribes in the SW of the US -- but other tribes don't have the same treaty benefits because the arrangement does not exist in the treaty applicable to them.
A lot of the tribes in the NE of the US have treaties that failed to include such a treaty right to cross-border movement by tribe members. Some of those in Arizona, for example, came to the game late enough to get something that annoys DHS to the bone.
Jul 12, 2010, 2:08 pm
#6
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I found this PDF with some background information about Haudenosaunee passports.
http://www.kahnawakelonghouse.com/im...7.07_FINAL.pdf
http://www.kahnawakelonghouse.com/im...7.07_FINAL.pdf
Jul 12, 2010, 2:22 pm
#8
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Precisely. The UK does not recognise "Iroquois" nationality. Therefore, they will be treated the same as stateless persons, and will need to have the equivalent of a convention document prior to being granted leave to enter.
Jul 12, 2010, 2:26 pm
#9
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Doesn't Canada recognize these things? Since Native American Indians are presumed citizens of either country, fly back to Canada, land cross into the USA.
ROTFL. Do you seriously think that if "England" wrote DHS demanding a letter guaranteeing that a holder of a U.S. passport would be allowed back in the USA that DHS would comply?
This forum is better than Seinfeld sometimes.
This forum is better than Seinfeld sometimes.
Jul 12, 2010, 2:37 pm
#10
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perhaps DHS will have more respect and respond quicker if the request came from Wales? (or Prince of Wales himself?) How about from Scotland?(assuming Sean Connerly agrees to make a request)
by the way, no disrepect for the Native Americans, but lacrosse? really? that's just lame... sorry...
that's almost as lame as watching World Cup football. 
Jul 12, 2010, 2:44 pm
#11
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“There was an issue when (officials) said, ‘Are you an American citizen, a U.S. citizen, whatever your citizenship is,’” Jemison said. “Our people had a hard time answering that. We identify ourselves as who we are: We are indigenous people of North America, and that line was drawn in the sand by somebody other than us.”
Jul 12, 2010, 3:42 pm
#12
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No such request would be made if this group just got US passports.
Jul 12, 2010, 3:54 pm
#13
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Jul 12, 2010, 4:17 pm
#14
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"Fantasy documents"? Actually, both the U.S. Department of State and its Canadian equivalent are signatories to a 1977 international agreement that recognizes Iroquois Confederacy passports.
Jul 12, 2010, 4:29 pm
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The relationship between the US government and Native American Nations has always been a little touchy (to say the least), so I am curious about agreements such as these.