Nine South Dakota Tribes Unite in Ban Against Governor Kristi Noem

South Dakota GOP Gov. Kristi Noem has been officially banned by every tribe in her state.

The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe became the ninth tribe to ban the governor on Tuesday after she made controversial remarks during a town hall, stating that children “have no hope,” according to USA Today.

Various tribes across the state have implemented bans on the governor following her claims that Mexican drug cartels have infiltrated reservations, leading to deadly crises due to a lack of tribal law enforcement officers. Noem also insinuated that tribal leaders might be benefiting personally from the cartels.

Noem appeared on Newsmax to address the situation, stating, “I’ve got nine Native American tribes, and the cartels are set up on our tribal grounds. They are facilitating drug trafficking and human trafficking through my tribal grounds in South Dakota, where I lack jurisdiction.”

Tribes have demanded an apology from Noem for her remarks. The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe had a meeting with Noem on Monday, describing it as “respectful and productive,” as reported by USA Today.

Noem released a statement through the tribe, expressing that she did not intend to cause offense with her comments about tribal challenges and emphasizing a desire to focus on solutions for safer communities, better education outcomes, and decreased addiction rates for all people.

During a press conference on Friday, Noem stated that being banned from tribal lands does not address the underlying issues and only serves to aid those perpetrating violence and crimes in South Dakota.

Noem, previously considered as a potential running mate for former President Donald Trump, faced further criticism for content in her book “No Going Back,” where she mentioned putting down her 14-month-old dog, Cricket, and then later removing a section about meeting North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.