Prayer for Veronica -

Today- "The judge denied our stay. They are taking her Sunday @ noon...nothing gradual" - PLEASE pray for a miracle for this family!

God Creates Children; Not Man. The Birth of Jesus Christ

Children are born at the direction and whim of God. Man, while given the right to determine the membership and government of their particular communities, does not own the children or have any part in when or how they are born. In truth, they are God's children, not man's.

The Birth of Jesus
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Luke 2: 1-20 (NIV)

UPDATE: Child Forced by Tribe to live in Loveless Home Rescued

FRIDAY ONE YEAR AGO - A 3-year-old girl was taken from the only home she knew and loved and placed with strangers - extended family who had never bothered to visit her or get to know her. Her adoptive parents fought for her in court and experts said she would be traumatized by the forced move, but the court decided that was okay and moved her anyway.

After almost five months, on APRIL 13TH, the adoptive parents got a call to come and get their little girl right away. There was a problem, and she had to be moved from the home she had been placed in. They left immediately, driving a couple hours to get her. When she saw them, she ran into their arms and said she was ready to go "home" - "Can I go home?" she asked - Adoptive mom wept - but daughter held her tears until after they had left the building, then wept freely. The people she had been with had told her that her adoptive parents were wolves, and would eat her -

Fortunately, she wasn't physically hurt. But she was, indeed, emotionally traumatized. She was NOT okay. She had been told there were monsters in the closet who would come eat her if she cried, and she reported that she had been locked in a storage shed. She was only three so it's still hard to say what actually happened, but it is known that things were not well - as evidenced by the emergency request by social services for the adoptive parents to go after her.

TODAY - A YEAR TO THE DAY she was taken from them - the Adoption was finalized and no one can take her away again!

PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION - Kids of tribal heritage need protection EQUAL to any other child in US - PLEASE sign this White House Petition. If we can get 25,000 signatures by mid-December, the White House has agreed to review the petition and give a response!

Children such as the child in this story have no voice - there are many advocating for ICWA, but no other national organization advocating for Children and families who, as US citizens, do NOT want to be under the jurisdiction of tribal government. Please help by bringing their needs to the attention of those in the federal Government.

It is a little complicated to sign this petition - it is on a White House Website and the Lord knows they can't make anything uncomplicated. But we need we need your help to do this - Please click the below link, register, and SIGN this petition and ask others to as well! - Thank you!

http://wh.gov/bvZ

________________________________________________
________________________________________________

Event Took Place Friday, November 19, 2010

Dec. 9, 2010

CAICW Friends;

An adoptive mother made her first contact with CAICW on Facebook about 1am Saturday morning, November 20, 2010, only hours after she had lost her little girl...

"They just took my baby after 3 years...her sobbing is forever etched in my soul. She wanted us to save her and we couldn't..devastated."

She then wrote to friends:

"Please sign this petition..the despair on her face pushes me to help destroy this law. She didn't want to go and was looking for us to protect her and we couldn't...I can't remember ever feeling so worthless."

Saturday, November 20th, 2010, was National Adoption Day. On this day, a small girl, denied the right to be adopted by the only mother she'd ever known, spent the first day in her memory in foster care, frightened and alone amongst strangers. She was denied the right to be adopted solely because of her heritage. In America, having even a small bit of Indian heritage can mean not having the same rights and opportunities for adoption that other children receive.

Saturday, November 20th, was also her adoptive mother's birthday. Her mother wrote on Facebook, thanking her friends for their love and prayers, and said that the best gift was people signing the petition.

We will be taking the petition with us when visiting Congress in DC at the end of January. The purpose of the Petition is to show Congressmen that people are concerned about this law and want it changed to reflect the best interest of children, not government expediency. We want to the rights of parents and children respected. We encourage families that have been affected by ICWA to join us.

If you aren't able to join us in DC, I urge everyone to obtain the legislative drafts we have available and talk to as many of your US Senators and Representatives and you can, as well as you legislators on the State level. We need to be pushing our representatives on both the federal and state levels to pass protective legislation for these children. No more pretending that what they have decided to do with children of heritage is acceptable or even constitutionally legal.

Finally - CAICW needs financial support. Please help us to:

* Stay in Contact with Families,
* Publish the Newsletter,
* Research Case Law,
* Update & maintain the CAICW.org Website,
* Develop a legal Defense Fund,
* Continue to Educate Federal and State Officials,
* Educate the Community through Facebook and Twitter,
* Speak to and Connect with family-oriented Organizations

All Children need to feel safe. Help CAICW to Advocate, Educate, Assist, & Defend.

http://www.caicw.org/pleasedonate.html



- Please see these sites for more information, and please share these important links:

Read Letters from Families: http://www.caicw.org/familystories.html


How You Can Help: http://www.caicw.org/HowYouHelp.html

Follow CAICW on TWITTER: http://twitter.com/CAICW

Join CAICW on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/fbCAICW.org

EMAIL: writeus@caicw.org

Thank you all for your prayers and support -

Lisa Morris
Christian Alliance for Indian Child Welfare (CAICW)
PO Box 253
Hillsboro, ND 58045

CAICW - Christian Evangelism and Ministry - Gal. 2:10, “All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do."

Visit CAICWs Google+ Page, too! - http://ping.fm/m5gjr Children adoption family tcot foster ICWAhurts

Nat'l Adoption Month - Sign Petition for Equal Protection for Indian Kids

Friends!

We have 30 days to get 25,000 signatures in order for our petition to be reviewed by the White House.

November is National Adoption Month - Let's do this Petition as our part in helping children this month. We need 6250 signatures a week to meet that goal. Let's pray for God's help and get started.

On Nov 19, Nat'l Adoption Day, families, adoption advocates, policymakers, judges and volunteers will come together and celebrate adoption in communities across the nation. We are setting a goal of 10,000 signatures by that date.

Please Sign the Petition and Use every method you have to share this link - http://wh.gov/bvZ - If everyone could get just 10 people to sign the petition and share it with at least 3 of their friends, we'll have it made!

Thank you friends!

TEXT OF PETITION:

We petition the Obama Administration to:

Ensure that Children of tribal heritage are guaranteed protection equal to that of any other child in the United States

Across America, children who had never been near a reservation nor involved in tribal customs have been taken from homes they know and love and placed with strangers chosen by tribal social services. This includes MULTI-racial children with minimal heritage.

Because of poorly thought out law called the 'Indian Child Welfare Act';

1) Kids have been removed from safe, loving homes and placed in dangerous ones.
2) Some families, Indian and non-Indian, have felt threatened by tribal gov't and have had no money to get legal help.
3) Equal opportunities for adoption, safety and stability are not always allowed to children of all heritages.
4) Constitutional right of parents to make choices for their families is being interfered with. Some tribal families don't want to be on the reservation. 

SIGN AT http://wh.gov/bvZ  

,

Indian Children: Citizens, not Cultural Artifacts

Are Children’s Lives Destroyed by ICWA?

Attend the Indian Child Welfare Act “Teach-In”

Friday, October 28, 2011, 9am - 1pm

Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Hearing Room, Dirksen Bldg, Wash, DC

Keynote speaker: Dr. William B. Allen

Across America, children who had never been near a reservation nor involved in tribal customs - including multi-racial children with extremely minimal blood quantum - have been removed from homes they know and love and placed with strangers chosen by tribal social services.

The Indian Child Welfare Act was passed in 1978 in effort to help prevent Native-American tribes and families from losing children to non-Native homes through foster care and adoption. Though well-intentioned, the Act is now harming children all across the country as courts and tribes place culture and tribal sovereignty above children’s basic needs for permanency and stability.

Come hear real stories of children whose lives have been impacted by the Indian Child Welfare Act. Listen to legal experts and scholars discuss the constitutionality of an Act that limits placement options and delays permanency for many of our nation’s most vulnerable children.

1) Some Children have been removed from safe, loving homes and placed into dangerous situations.

2) Some families, Indian and non-Indian, have felt threatened by tribal government. Some have had to mortgage homes and endure lengthy legal processes to protect their children.

3) Equal opportunities for adoption, safety and stability are not always available to children of all heritages.

4) The constitutional right of parents to make life choices for their children including political associations has been interfered with.

5) The constitutional right for children of Indian heritage to enjoy Equal Protection has in some cases been denied.

Letters from tribal and non-tribal birth parents, extended family, foster parents and pre-adoptive families can be read at http://www.caicw.org/familystories.html

In the words of Dr. William Allen, Emeritus Professor, Political Science, MSU and former Chair of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (1989), 

“... we are talking about our brothers and our sisters. We’re talking about what happens to people who share with us an extremely important identity. And that identity is the identity of free citizens in a Republic…"

The Christian Alliance for Indian Child Welfare (CAICW) is the only national organization advocating for families who have lost or are at risk of losing children due to application of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). We well understand the original purpose of the Indian Child Welfare Act. Although ICWA has safeguards to prevent misuse, stories affecting multi-racial families abound across America. It is important that we come together as a community to talk about them.

Want to help? PLEASE Call These Congressmen and Tell them about the ICWA Teach-In, Friday, Oct 28, in DC... http://ping.fm/1nHtz pray

We Won!!!

It’s been a long and difficult two years, but God is good and faithful.  Thank you for your prayers and support. Also thank you for telling us about [the attorney]. We will forever be indebted.

Where do I start? As you probably remember our story started with a baby girl born out of wedlock to an Indian father and Caucasian mother. The mother chose us to adopt (non-native) and the father agreed at the time. Now to bring you up to speed since our last letter Nov ’09. We waited until the bio-father was out of jail in hopes to meet with him and his family about the adoption. It was our understanding that the only reason the tribe intervened in November ’09 was because they believed the paternal family wanted to adopt her and that the father changed his mind. We felt that waiting was our only option because our attorney at the time was not supportive of us. He felt that we would never win regardless of what we did. We wanted our attorney at the time to co-counsel with [the attorney], but our attorney was very negative, made it sound like it was going to cost us thousands and it would all be a waste of time anyways. We didn’t believe that so like I said we waited. Eight months later we met with the father and family. They all agreed to the adoption. After that conversation we believed we would be able to adopt without the tribe interfering (they had originally released us to adopt).  So we hired a new attorney to handle the adoption. We were talking with the father and hoping to finalize in Feb 2011. In Dec ’09 we had asked the father to come for a Christmas visit. He accepted. But the day arrived and he didn’t show up, no call or anything. The next thing we know our attorney receives a letter from the tribe that stated that the father came into the tribal attorney’s office refusing to agree to the adoption and the tribe was intervening. Unfortunately, our case was one of our attorney’s last cases because he was retiring. So needless to say we had to find a new attorney to take our now contested case. We were blessed to find ------------. She was willing to co-counsel with [the attorney] and they made an awesome team. Both of them fight for the child’s rights with honesty and dignity. They made our case bullet proof and we won... The tribe still has 42 days to appeal the decision, but ----- talked to the tribal attorney and he said that he is recommending that the tribe DOES NOT intervene. Like I said our attorneys made our case bullet proof so it would be unlikely for the tribe to win even in the Supreme Court. We will wait out the 42 days and finalize the adoption after [in] October…

[We] are still in a state of shock or disbelief. Maybe it will hit us when we sign the final papers.

Again, thank you for all of your support and prayers. We truly believe that we would not be holding our precious forever daughter without your guidance to the right attorney, your encouragement and your website to educate us. We have directed others to your website and have been able to educate others because of it. We were surprised how many people including Natives that are not aware of ICWA. 

 As I have promised in the past I will do what I can to help support you and the people you help as soon as this is over.

Many blessings,

CONGRATULATIONS for Successful Adoptions!!

TO FIVE WONDERFUL FAMILIES –

Who in the last two months have either successfully completed their adoptions or will be completing them shortly –

To the three awesome families in Texas, one in California, and the beautiful family in Idaho – CONGRATULATIONS!

Please also give a very special thanks to a wonderful attorney who ministered for most of these children in very wise and beneficial ways – as well as to Johnston Moore and Andy Reum, two board members who were willing and available to speak to and encourage a couple of the families.


AND a VERY SPECIAL THANKS – To all those who have been praying faithfully for these families as well as the many others who contact us!! God Bless all you awesome prayer warriors!

Indian Children: Citizens, not Cultural Artifacts:

Indian Children: Citizens, not Cultural Artifacts: 

Supporting the Best Interest of Children: ICWA “Teach-In” Friday, October 28, 2011, 9am - 1pm, Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Hearing Room, Wash, DC

The Indian Child Welfare Act was passed in 1978 in effort to help prevent Native-American tribes and families from losing children to non-Native homes through foster care and adoption. Though well-intentioned, the Act is now harming children all across the country as courts and tribes place culture and tribal sovereignty above children’s basic needs for permanency and stability. 

Come hear real stories of children whose lives have been impacted by the Indian

Child Welfare Act. Listen to legal experts and scholars discuss the constitutionality of an Act that limits placement options and delays permanency for many of our nation’s most vulnerable children.

The sessions will include:

Initial Overview - The Mandate of Congress                              

a. Enforce the 14th Amendment

b. First, Do no Harm

c. Remedy Past Injustices

  

Session 1. ICWA is unconstitutional -

a. Dr. William B. Allen, Emeritus Professor, Political Science, MSU,  will discuss Cohen v. Little Six; Granite Valley v. Jackpot Junction, Kiowa v. United Technologies, Choctaw v. Holyfield, and more.

Session 2. Congressional Intent -

a. Attorney O. Yale Lewis will discuss the legislative history of the ICWA and the changing history of the federal / Indian relationship.

Session 3. Political Status Claims threaten Citizenship -

a. Panel of affected families will share their family experience

b. Case studies on coerced enrollment will be presented.

Session 4. Cultural Heritage is a Data Point in Adoption Cases, not a Trump -

a. Who Decides when a citizen is an Indian; can race be politically attributed?

b. Restoring best interests of child as a consideration in adoptions.

Keynote:   Dr. William Allen -  Why We Must Act Now

JOIN US in support of the ‘Best Interest’ of Children  —  and THANK YOU!!

CONTACT LISA at WRITEUS@CAICW.ORG

Holding an ICWA 'Teach In', Friday, Oct 28 in Washington, DC!

Thank you for your continued support and prayers!!  

We received final confirmation from Senator Hoeven’s office today:  The ICWA "Teach-in" will be held FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28th, 9am to 1pm in the Senate Committee for Indian Affairs hearing room in Washington DC. 

Dr. William B. Allen will be our main speaker and we expect the information and material offered to be exceptional. Dr. Allen is a Professor in Political Science, the former Chairman of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights under Ronald Reagan, and a strong opponent of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA)

Remember – the Christian Alliance for Indian Child Welfare (CAICW) is the ONLY national organization advocating for families who have lost or are at risk of losing children due to application of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and has been advocating for families since 2004.

Feb 26, 2011— “We need help! This child will be dead in this woman's hands. We feel the good fight to do what's right but fear this child will be severely marred.”

April 7, 2011— “I have no were else to turn. My girls and i are in desperate need of help. If there is anyway you can help us please contact me as soon possible day or night…”

May 18, 2011—”our kids were taken yesterday. The pain is difficult to bear. We love these kids so much. This will be there third family placement since coming into foster care almost 2 years ago.”

ALL are welcome to come join and support us there. Come on Wednesday prior and spend a couple days visiting with the offices of your Senators and Representatives - and invite their staff to come attend the Teach-in!

Please share this note with friends and relatives that might be interested!

Also - We still have SAMARITAN Discount cards available for sale to help with expenses  ;)

Contact me if you would like one or would like a few to share some with friends!

Lisa - writeus@caicw.org

Website http://caicw.org

Twitter: http://twitter.com/CAICW   ( @CAICW )

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/fbCAICW.org

DONATIONS NEEDED for Teach-in expenses! Thanks!!! :)   - Click this Link for direct donations to CAICW, a 501c3 non-profit 

.

Tribal govt is very effective at playing victim card, never mentioning realities behind ICWA http://is.gd/b5X3qN kids abuse family

Please add CAICW to your circles on Google+ - Thanks! http://ping.fm/8Cboz

Together for Adoption's Nat'l Conference Oct. 21-22 Phoenix: http://ping.fm/Qna2h Mission living, gospel, and orphan care Adopt family

Raising $15G to host Oct DC Seminar http://ping.fm/mQ8eZ

The Beginning of Life -

by Darrel Smith, Publisher, ChristsInternet.com
http://christsinternet.com/Blog/2011/05/the-beginning-of-life/

Many people seem to be confused about when life begins. Some maintain that life begins at birth, others believe that life begins when the unborn baby is capable of living independent of its mother, others argue that it begins when the baby can be felt moving inside its mother, and still others at the moment of conception or at some other time.

These arguments miss some very simple scientific facts. No one has ever observed the beginning of life because life began many thousands of years ago. Since that beginning, life is always transferred, and it is always transferred in kind. Eagles always transfer life to baby eagles, horses transfer life to baby horses and humans transfer life to baby humans. In humans, life is transferred through a living contribution from a mother and a father.

Conception is the beginning of a genetically unique new human life that was formed from this union of the mother and father’s living contributions. From the moment of conception, all this new human life needs to fully develop are the same things a two-year-old child or you or I need - nutrition and protection.

In our society, the Supreme Court has ruled that unborn humans don’t have the protection provided to “persons” in the Constitution. This legal argument has been used twice before in modern western history. In the early history of this country black slaves suffered from this same legal classification. Later in Germany, the courts classified Jews as non-persons. The supporters of this classification for unborn human beings are following a truly shameful and dangerous history.

What choice will you make? Will you protect human life?

Check out these sites for ways to become involved:

Personhood USA

National Right to Life

Prolife.com

The Mount Vernon Statement

SIGN the Manhattan Declaration

National Pro-life Religious Council

Prolife Across America

We are in Desperate Need of Help -

Hey wonderful peoples – with school out, does anyone have extra time?

We could really use your help – prayer wise as well as hands on.

I am the administrator of CAICW – but only a volunteer in a one man office - and have to work as an RN to support my family. So I am doing the best I can, but it ends up being slow – much too slow. It breaks my heart that I can’t move any faster than I am.

Right now:
1) An attorney in the Twin Cities is working on draft legislation to present to Congress
2) We are setting up a seminar for Congressmen, teaching reality of ICWA.
3) We NEED help fundraising
4) We NEED website work on caicw.org
5) We NEED help monitoring this facebook page
6) We NEED another newsletter out

– I appreciate anything you can do – Thanks so much for your prayers -

I am Elizabeth (Lisa) Morris, Administrator
Christian Alliance for Indian Child Welfare (CAICW)
PO Box 253, Hillsboro ND 58045
administrator@caicw.org
http://caicw.org/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/CAICW
To Donate:
https://npo.networkforgood.org/Donate/Donate.aspx?npoSubscriptionId=1004119&code=Email+Solicitation

She Wasn't a Tribal Member, so her Daughter was Taken From Her

I am a non-Tribal mother of a Native American daughter. This has been a battle of 14, nearly 15 years now. I’ve felt so alone over these years, and due to my experiences and feelings have decided it is time to reach out to the other parents like me, to help protect the children like my daughter.

I became pregnant at 16. During my pregnancy her paternal (tribal) grandmother tried to convince me to give her up for adoption to her. I refused. The day she was born, her father would not sign her birth certificate. I stayed together with him until she was nearly 2. He was abusive to me, he was doing drugs and drinking. He had a very short temper. He even attacked me at work. I tried to make it work for her sake, which was a mistake. Thinking maybe if I could force him to go to therapy he would get better. Then one day he turned his anger towards her. That was the last day.

I left him that day, and would not allow him to be alone with her. Because I did not trust him, I set arrangements for him to see her at his mother’s house on pre-arranged dates. The first few visits he was there when I brought her there. After that he wasn’t. His mother told me “It hurts him too much to see you, so he went for a walk, he’ll be back after you leave” Like an idiot 19 year old girl, I believed the woman. It later came out in the open that he had run off to San Francisco to follow his dream of being a homeless drugged out bike messenger. Which later in life is referred to in all legal proceedings as his “Spiritual Journey”.

When she was 5, the state took him to court to establish paternity. They issued a warrant for his arrest for the genetic testing. They actually had to arrest him and bring him in against his will. Once paternity was established, he was a no show for court to sign the papers. The judge had to sign it for him, which by US Citizen law, negates your parental rights.

He was absent from her life with the exception of an occasional Christmas or Thanksgiving – Which he attended to get free stuff, for 5 years. No phone calls, no visits. Nothing. (No child support, but we managed to live with me working 2 or 3 jobs at a time) He started doing something called “Canoe Journey” which I made sure that my daughter could go to when the grandmother asked if she could go. I even volunteered as class mom for all school Tribal functions, making sure that the Native American students could go to the big meets. If I hadn’t have done that none of those children would have been able to go.

Then, one day I get a knock on the door. my daughter’s Uncles are sitting there with a camera and big grins laughing , they say “You’ve been served” and take my photo as they hand me the papers. This is how I found out that her father was filing for custody.

The first court hearing went in my favor. The judge reviewed the case, recognized it as he was the judge that signed the paternity and threw it out. He told my daughter's dad that he expected him to turn his life around before he would even grant visitation, that he expected child support payments, anger management courses and clean urinalysis.

The Tribe appealed the case, which I state this way as 30 or 40 Tribal members showed up in the court room the next day, they even pushed and shoved at me as I tried to walk through the door into the court room.

We went through 4 extremely painful months of custody battle, during which a Guardian Ad Litem was assigned to research the case. During the case, hundreds of “Declarations” were produced by the tribe, attesting to my inability to parent stating things like that I had “Fecal matter spread on the walls” or that I “Partied and brought different men home every night”. They even had the audacity to claim that I am abusive to my daughter. None of these things are true. The odd thing about it all, as I had never even heard of any of these “People” that wrote the declarations, and they all seemed to be written in a variation of 3 or 4 different styles of handwriting.

The Guardian Ad Litem did a very scrutinizing investigation. She concluded that my daughter was best living with me, that she and I had one of the closest most loving relationships she had seen between a parent and child, that she had a wonderful home and a strong support structure. That her father had anger management problems, that he had failed his Urinalysis both the first and the second time, that his home was unfit structurally and sanitarily for a child, and that my daughter seemed to barely even know him. Her advice was for my daughter to stay living with me, for her father to take anger management courses, attend drug and alcohol therapy, get his life in order, THEN start visitation with our daughter under supervision.

The judge threw out her assessment. Why assign a Guardian Ad Litem to a case if you are going to throw it out if it is in the Non Tribal parent’s favor? Was it just to make me spend another $2,200? Was he hoping she would dig up dirt on me?

Needless to say, my daughter, now 14 has been living on the reservation since then. It’s been 5 years. ICW has taken her from her father’s house 3 times now, that I know of. They refuse to give her back to me. They have no just cause for this. They have stated to me they will never place her back in my home because I am not a Tribal Family Member. When they took her, for ABUSE allegations from her father I tried to work through real CPS that would never let this happen. Real CPS informed me that the only way they can get her back for me is if my daughter calls 911 or is hospitalized from the abuse.

Last night I found out that the reason I have been unable to reach my daughter or any of her paternal family for the past 3 weeks is that ICW took her from her father’s home and placed her with her grandmother. Again. They did not contact me. Again. My daughter had to sneak to the computer and email me, when she had been told not to contact me. Again.

JOIN US

WASHINGTON DC—JANUARY 2011

Dr. William B. Allen

This was by far the best visit to DC that we’d had yet. Our group, including parents from New Mexico, Wisconsin, Virginia, and S. Dakota, began Monday, January 24th with a meeting with Dr. William Allen, Emeritus Professor, Political Science, MSU, who broached the question as to whether the ICWA was intended for the best interest of the child or the best interest of the tribe. How is it being interpreted and enforced? He reminded us that tribal governments are accountable to Congress, which has plenary power over them. He then asked, “Has Congress, in passing the ICWA, taken the position of Pontius Pilate” - and essentially washed its hands of these children?

We can’t allow Congress to do that. We, as families, have been helpless before this law. Many families have had little opportunity to protect themselves or their children. This is about Constitutional rights – our Equal Protection.


We next met with the Chief of Staff for Senator Hoeven (R-ND), Don Larson, and his assistant, Kaitland. Senator Hoeven has been assigned to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. (SCIA). Mr. Larson felt this issue was something the Senator could "move forward" with.    

We also met with Katherine Haley, Assistant to Policy for Speaker of the House, John Boehner (R-OH). She said that the speaker holds great importance to protecting families and that the Speaker can get behind this. She told us to push for committee hearings and reminded us that federal policy and oversight is a touchy subject.

While some of us were visiting the Speaker’s office, others visited with Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD), who is also a member of the SCIA. Those who visited his office were not confident that he would be helpful, and aides to Senator Kohl (D-WI): kept referring us back to the tribes, saying everything is up to them.

Aide to Rep Berg (R-ND), Patrick Buell, was very interested and said he would talk to a staffer friend of his on the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs - and he did. The friend called on Wednesday, February 3rd and was encouraging. He thought new hearings might be possible - if the new Chairman agreed.

Some of us began Tuesday, January 25th, with a meeting with Gary Bauer, of American Values.org. He urged us to find one person in the House and one in the Senate who will make this issue their cause – who will see it as an opportunity to become a real reformer. He also encouraged us to find a new Governor who isn’t afraid to make this issue a priority.

We next met with Clay Lightfoot, aide to Senator Coburn (R-Ok). Senator Coburn had been a long standing member of the SCIA up until this year when he was moved from the committee. Still, his office has had an interest in this issue over the years. Their interest continues despite having been moved from the committee.

Fern Goodhart, aide to Senator Tom Udall (D-NM), also on the SCIA, was less encouraging. She said there was little that can be done as the issue is up to the tribes and the Committee.

Rep. Kristi Noem’s office, (R-SD), was very welcoming and interested. We met with her aide, Renee Latterell. Brand new to Congress, Rep. Noem is a Teaparty conservative who has been assigned to House Committee on Resources and its subcommittee on Indian Affairs. Renee was VERY encouraging and said they would like to help.

Rep Michelle Bachmann’s aide, (R-MN), Reneee Doyle was also very kind and helpful. We told her that my children and grandchildren are all enrollable with the Minnesota Chippewas Tribe, and that the State of Minnesota had made it much more difficult for families such as ours when they passed a law three years ago forbidding judges to even consider whether or not a child or family is connected with the tribal community. She said she would do her best to talk to Rep. Bachmann, who is also a foster mom, about it.

On Wednesday, we met with Lea Stueve, aide to Senator Johnanns (R-NE)(SCIA): She wasn’t as encouraging and said that the issue is up to the committee.

John Fetzer, aide to Senator Conrad (D-ND)(SCIA), was very warm and interested. He said that new hearings are worth taking a look at "especially when it affects kids this directly." He told us to keep in touch with him "if it's not moving along as fast as you would like."
Remember - As one Senate Aide told us: we need to get on the phone and preach this: ~ The welfare of children shouldn’t be political; it MUST be about the best interest of the child. We must remove “preference” for tribes and give strength to family. ~

UPDATE – Renee Doyle, Rep. Michelle Bachmann, aide, called two weeks ago and said that she has spent nights thinking about our meeting with her on January 25th. The story that she had heard from one of the mother's with us had "broken her heart." She wanted the mother to know that her story had not fallen on deaf ears, and that she was meeting with Don Young's aide to talk about it. I gave her Dr. William Allen's contact phone number to get some additional questions answered.

Letters from birth parents, grandparents, foster families, pre-adoptive families, tribal members and non-members can be read at: http://www.caicw.org/familystories.html

PLEASE help ensure 'Best Interest of the Child' in Custody for kids of EVERY heritage. Donate Today ~ http://ping.fm/H8zZ0 tcot family

THE WEBSITE IS BACK UP! - Thanks so much for your patience. Debit card expired - Forgot to change card on auto Debit (need Secretary!)

DEEP APOLOGY: Debit card expired- Forgot to change card on automatice Debit- changed/paid now- hope caicw.org back up soon (need Secretary!)

PLEASE help ensure 'Best Interest of the Child' in Custody for kids of EVERY heritage. Donate Today ~ http://ping.fm/H8zZ0 tcot family

PLEASE help ensure 'Best Interest of the Child' in Custody for kids of EVERY heritage. Donate Today ~ http://ping.fm/H8zZ0 tcot family

DECIDED: Senators need to understand: Welfare of children shouldn’t be political ie ICWA; it MUST be abt Best Interest of Child tcot ado

Disappointing - Coburn no longer on Senate Commtt for Indian Affairs. Unsure what that means as far as continued support for ICWA hearings.

Michelle Bachmann's aide is going to talk to Bachmann (who is a foster mom) about ICWA. Urges us to also connect w/ Committee members tcot

Lost database -Pls resend USPO addy's. Upcoming newsletter: DC trip, spoke to, what next. Send addy 2 writeus@caicw.org. Thx! family adopt

Setting up new Computer post horrid crash. Need everyone's email addresses again - pls send email to administrator@caicw.org. Thanks! kids

Senator Kent Conrad aide: Wants to see about having hearings. "It's worth looking at, especiallty when it affects children this directly."

Gary Bauer also said: Find one person in Senate and one in house that will make it their cause; this is way to bacome a REAL reformer -

Gary Bauer: Concerned about Religous freedom aspect. Will call everyone we meet w/ and encourage support. Christian church kids cot

Speaker Boenher's Aide: Boehner sees importance in protecting families. CAICW needs to urge hearings in Committee. kids congress

Meetings here in DC are going well. But this time, we are going to keep the momentum and follow through - tcot teaparty Congress

Keep checking this page Jan 24-26; We'll be posting here during the trip to DC - letting you know who've we've met with and what was said

Got a call from a Stranger.

.
Got a great call yesterday from a foster Dad of two enrolled kids.  He and his wife have had these two ever since they were babies and have seen what has happened to their siblings in the care of relatives. Someone had forwarded him an email with our last update concerning our Washington DC trip (posted on facebook just two hours earlier) and he was totally excited - He said he'd been PRAYING for something to come against the ICWA law and when he saw the email, he thought his prayers were answered! 

I did tell him it was a David and Goliath thing and we haven't had much luck in the past.
He was totally moved with emotion and started crying, which was very moving for me in return.  Then he prayed for the DC trip, the people we'd be meeting, and even for me! 
What a Blessing - I pray, pray, pray we can actually be of some help.
The facebook note he'd received:

Yes! We've confirmed an appt w/ Rep. Michelle Bachmann's aide today. That will be a good one, because Rep Bachmann isn't afraid to fight for constitutional rights.  I've also been told that she is a foster mother!
We also confirmed appts with 3 members of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and Speaker Boehner's Assistant, as well as a few other appts. Still working on more. I'm still trying for Rep Issa and West, and Sen. Kent Conrad - who hasn't responded. (Hoeven and Berg are confirmed.)

SIGN THE PETITION: "She Wanted Us to Save Her..."

.

An adoptive mother made her first contact with CAICW on Facebook about 1am Saturday morning, Nov. 20, 2010, only hours after she had lost her little girl:

"They just took my baby after 3 years...her sobbing is forever etched in my soul. She wanted us to save her and we couldn't…devastated."

"..the despair on her face ... She didn't want to go and was looking for us to protect her and we couldn't...I can't remember ever feeling so worthless."

Saturday, Nov. 20th, was National Adoption Day. On this day, a small girl, denied the right to be adopted by the only mother she'd ever known, spent the first day in her memory in foster care, frightened and alone. She was denied the right to be adopted by her “mom” solely because of heritage. In America, having even a small amount of Indian heritage can mean not having the same rights & opportunities for adoption that other children have.

SIGN THE PETITION

- Petition closes Jan. 21, 2011 - to be presented to Congressmen in DC Jan. 24-26.

Advocates of ICWA point to the devastation suffered by children of tribal heritage when, years ago, they were forcefully removed from homes they loved and forced to stay at boarding schools. The trauma those children experienced was, indeed, horrible and devastating.

However, in the implementation of the ICWA, the exact same thing has been happening to children in reverse.

What has to be acknowledged is that we live in a transient, multi-racial society. This means that many children who fall under the jurisdiction of the Indian Child Welfare Act have more than one heritage, and many times are predominantly of another heritage, and/or have family who not only aren’t connected to the Reservation, but have specifically LEFT it—having chosen not to participate in the reservation system. Their reasons include the high alcoholism, drug abuse, violence, child neglect, corruption, and suicide rates.

Though some argue ICWA has safeguards to prevent misuse, scores of multi-racial children are negatively affected by its application. Letters from birth parents, grandparents, foster families, and adoptive families concerning their children hurt by application of ICWA can be read at ~ http://www.caicw.org/familystories.html

YOUR PRAYERS are a Powerful Blessing for these families!

Due to ICWA, dozens of adoptions are held up every year. Even simple adoptions can be expensive and many families aren’t prepared for this additional expense. Time and again families have contacted the CAICW to ask for help because they don’t have the funds needed to hire attorney’s to defend their children.

A Firefighter in Texas, with his wife, stopped an abortion by offering to take the baby. They received the little boy immediately after birth and began adoption proceedings. The baby had been with them for a few weeks when they were informed a tribe was laying claim to the child - who had less than 2% heritage. The family, already loving the baby, fought back. Five years and thousands of dollars later, the little boy has still not been adopted.

Had the birth mother chosen abortion, no one would have stopped her.

Birth families have been hurt as well. After mortgaging homes and having nothing else to use, some have been forced to give up the fight for their children.

One grandfather with nothing left to fight with signed his final letter to us as "former grandfather of..."

A mother, responding to a tribal court summons for what was supposed to be a simple hearing, had her little girl ripped from her arms, not to be returned again.

Latino grandparents were raising their three grandchildren in California until social services decided that the children, 50% Ute, belonged on the reservation. They took the children from their paternal grandparents and placed them with their maternal grandmother on the Ute reservation, where she proceeded to beat the boys for speaking Spanish. Three weeks later, one was near dead. His younger brother presented at the hospital with raccoon eyes.

The maternal grandmother is now in prison and the children are again with their paternal grandparents. The oldest is permanently brain damaged.

A mother, having sent her children to visit their father for two weeks for a county ordered visitation, received a sudden tribal court summons. Believing that she was required to respond, she showed up for the hearing, where she was told the children were now in the custody of the father, and she is not allowed to step foot on the reservation again. When she went back to the county court to fight it, she was told that because she responded to the tribal court summons, she had voluntarily given them jurisdiction.

How was she to know?

A non-Indian father in Oklahoma was told that because he was "white," he had no rights to his child.

Of course that wasn't true. But unless a person has money to fight back with, whether it is true or not makes no difference.

WE NEED YOUR HELP. These families can not fight this alone.

SIGN THE PETITION

- Petition closes Jan. 21, 2011 - to be presented to Congressmen in DC Jan. 24-26.