Indigenous Communities Nationwide Mark May 5, 2026, as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day

On May 5, 2026, Indigenous groups held marches, vigils, self-defense classes, and art exhibits in Colorado Springs, Connecticut’s State Capitol, and Albuquerque’s Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. Participants wore red dresses or handprints to signal missing and murdered Indigenous peoples.

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Systematic removal and under-funded tribal policing drive the crisis. In 2020, President Donald Trump enacted Savanna’s Act and the Not-Invisible Act to improve data collection and response. A 2022-2023 federal commission issued recommendations removed from sites. The FBI’s Operation Not Forgotten has deployed agents to tribal lands, reporting over 200 arrests since 2023.

Indigenous people honor and raise awareness for relatives who are missing or have been killed

Native Americans and Alaska Natives are twice as likely as general population to be crime victims; Native women face homicide rates twice the national average. FBI records show under 1,500 missing-Native cases at the end of 2025. Homicide rates for American Indian and Alaska Native people are five times higher than for non-Hispanic whites, and Native women are murdered at ten times the national average, per National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center.

Indigenous people honor and raise awareness for relatives who are missing or have been killed

Tribal leaders demand accurate case recording, coordinated policing, jurisdiction. Connecticut legislators highlighted injustices and used red-dress symbolism. Michigan’s Department of Health and Human Services pledged collaboration with tribal partners and victim services. Federal agencies cite Operation Not Forgotten’s arrest record as evidence of progress.

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Advocates say government actions remain fragmented. Dawnrae Rocha called the failure to investigate cases “a failure in the system.” Linda McCarthy warned jurisdictional gaps leave communities without police help.

Indigenous people honor and raise awareness for relatives who are missing or have been killed

Case counts differ between FBI records and tribal estimates, reflecting jurisdictional confusion and racial misclassification. Additionally, the 2023 commission recommendations were removed from official sites, creating uncertainty about current policy direction.

Indigenous people honor and raise awareness for relatives who are missing or have been killed

Denise Porambo mourned her daughter Destiny Jeriann Whiteman, killed on reservation, describing daily grief. Grace Bulltail, advocating for niece Kaysera Stops Pretty Places, whose death remains unsolved, said “We have had to advocate for ourselves and Kaysera every step of the way.”

Indigenous people honor and raise awareness for relatives who are missing or have been killed

• “Look at the numbers and say, ‘How do we ensure that this doesn’t continue?” — Abigail Echo-Hawk, Director, Urban Indian Health Institute, Pawnee Nation

Indigenous people honor and raise awareness for relatives who are missing or have been killed

• “More manpower from the FBI on reservations, that’s not a good solution in my mind,” — Michael Henderson, Director of Public Safety, Navajo Nation

Indigenous people honor and raise awareness for relatives who are missing or have been killed

• “It hurts every day,” — Denise Porambo, mother of Destiny Jeriann Whiteman

Indigenous people honor and raise awareness for relatives who are missing or have been killed

• “By hanging red dresses, we’re welcoming those spirits into this space.” — Darlene Kascak, Schaghticoke Tribal Nation

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Tribal leaders will hold a summit in late 2026 to seek legislation expanding tribal jurisdiction and mandating data reporting. States will host MMIP marches and hearings this summer.

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