South Dakota tribe sues feds to keep COVID-19 checkpoints

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe alleges in a lawsuit that the federal government has been trying to coerce and threaten the tribe ever since South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem asked for help stopping its COVID-19 checkpoints on state and federal highways.

The tribe filed the lawsuit Tuesday alleging that since Noem’s White House plea, the federal defendants have been abusing their power to coerce the tribe to dismantle its checkpoints. Alleged coercion against the tribe included potential monetary penalties and threats to cut off if its law enforcement contract and COVID relief. When that didn’t work, the tribe contends the defendants have tried to take over tribal law enforcement, “imperiling tribal public safety as well as public health.”

https://apnews.com/9b9fd6f0bd1d4d944ae3b35015d76f05