Sen. Gillibrand calls for new passports for native tribes

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July 17, 2010

By JOE LoTEMPLIO Staff Writer The Press Republican Sat Jul 17, 2010, 03:42 PM EDT

PLATTSBURGH — U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is urging Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to work with Native American leaders and the Canadian and United Kingdom governments to develop acceptable travel documents.

In a letter to Clinton, Gillibrand asked that internationally-recognized travel documents be developed for the Iroquois nation and other tribes and nations in North America.

The issue came to a head this past week when the Iroquois Nationals lacrosse team was first denied by the U.S. government the opportunity to travel abroad with their Haudenosaunee Confederacy passports for the Lacrosse World Championships.

The Haudenosaunee passports reflect the Iroquois nation's sovereignty.

The United States eventually allowed the team to travel on a special waiver, but the British would not allow the players into their country with the Haudenosaunee passports.

The lacrosse team, stuck in New York City, was forced to forfeit its first game in the championships Thursday.

The Iroquois have refused to get U.S. or Canadian passports, saying they do not want to lose their own identity.

In a letter to Secretary Clinton, Gillibrand wrote, "Considering the recent situation which prevented the members of the Iroquois Nationals lacrosse team and their supporters from traveling to the United Kingdom to participate in the international lacrosse tournament with the Haudenosaunee passports, and in an effort to prevent against such disappointment in the future, I therefore request that you work with tribal governments in concert with the Canadian government to the extent that Canada faces a similar situation, to come to an understanding with the United Kingdom and other foreign governments with the goal of establishing a document or process that would provide Native American travelers with the same freedom of movement enjoyed by all U.S. citizens."

E-mail Joe LoTemplio at: jlotemplio@pressrepublican.com