Attorney General Bonta Hosts Event at the Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians Reservation in Riverside County to Promote Awareness of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People

Continues ongoing work to improve health, welfare and public safety of California tribal communities through DOJ’s Office of Native American Affairs 

RIVERSIDE COUNTY – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued an alert to Californians to promote awareness of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) crisis in California through an event sponsored by the California Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office of Native American Affairs (ONAA), in partnership with tribal communities and law enforcement, called Missing in California Indian Country. This event will occur on the Soboba Band of Luiseno Indian Reservation in the Southern California region, on Saturday, September 29, 2023 from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm at the Soboba Casino Resort in San Jacinto, California. The event is free and open to the public to bring awareness and provide the opportunity for tribal families to come together and uplift ongoing efforts to confront this crisis. The event is cosponsored by the Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, the California Consortium of Urban Indian Health-Red Women Rising, the Cahuilla Consortium, the Intertribal Court of Southern California, Indigenous Justice, Strong Hearted Native Women’s Coalition and Tribal Alliance of Sovereign Indian Nations (TASIN). 

“Supporting tribal communities and protecting their safety is a priority for my office,” said Attorney General Bonta. “When we reduce barriers and work together, we’re better able to build back trust and foster relationships that improve public safety on and off tribal lands in California. The unfortunate reality is that many of our tribal communities feel under threat — worried that their loved ones, their mothers, their daughters — will go missing, will be lost to violence and murder. This is unacceptable — and as the state’s chief law enforcement officer, I will do everything in my power to help end this crisis. But we must also repair relationships and build trust. The California Department of Justice is committed to listening and learning. We will continue to follow the lead of tribal communities to partner in justice and create change we need to see.”

Missing in California Indian Country are first-of-their-kind events that are happening throughout the four regions of the state all on tribal lands, and in partnership with tribal governments and local law enforcement. They, in part, serve as critical public safety events for tribal communities and aim to elevate the state’s response to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons crisis (MMIP). These events will allow for loved ones to report an individual missing, receive an update on an active missing person’s case, and/or provide a DNA sample for inclusion in DOJ’s Unidentified Persons Database. These regional events are developed and planned in collaboration with the tribal governments, within the respected regions, to be most responsive to the region's tribal community's needs. Local, state, tribal and federal justice partners will come together for these events to share critical information, resource availability, and partnership in addressing the MMIP crisis in California.

In addition, the following events will occur at Saturday’s event:

• MMIP Survivor & Family Testimonials — Throughout the event, MMIP survivors and family members will be provided the opportunity to share – publicly or privately – about their MMIP experience. There will be a private area for MMIP survivors and family members to gather at the event. This area will be available from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. Here, individuals and families will have access to trauma-informed counselors, victim advocates, and traditional healers.
• Missing Persons Investigations Panel — Speaking on this topic will be the region’s elected sheriffs, tribal police, and the California Highway Patrol. These distinguished members of law enforcement will share what community members need to know, what they need to do, and what they can expect from law enforcement if their loved one goes missing. Information will also be shared with the community about the recently enacted Feather Alert (California’s Missing Indigenous Persons Alert System).
• Human Trafficking Panel — Speaking on this topic will be the region’s experts in combatting human trafficking and assisting survivors of human trafficking. The community will hear directly from the region’s prosecutors and investigators on how to identify if your loved one may be a victim of human trafficking and what to do if you suspect your loved one is being trafficked.
• Victim Services and “Closing the Gap” Panel – Speaking on this topic will be representatives from tribal, state, local and non-profit entities that provide services to families and survivors of crime. They will share with the community about what services (financial, housing, counseling, etc.) may be available and how each can be of service to them. 
• Community Resource Fair — Local, tribal, state, and national community and justice resource providers have been invited to the event to share about their programs and resources via an “information fair” format at the event. These programs have been specifically identified by the tribal planning partners as community and justice partners that may be most beneficial for tribal governments and tribal citizens on improving health, welfare and safety.

The first event was held in the Northern Region at the Blue Lake Rancheria, on Saturday, April 22, 2023, and was held in in partnership with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, the Yurok Tribal Police Department and the Hoopa Valley Tribal Police Department.

Missing in California Indian Country events are ongoing efforts of ONAA, an office established in DOJ in 2000 to support the rights of tribal citizens and governments and help protect the public safety of tribal communities. ONAA provides three main functions within DOJ:

• ONAA advises the Attorney General on matters of importance to California tribal governments and tribal citizens that promote the health, safety and, welfare for California’s tribal citizens.
• ONAA serves as tribal liaison between DOJ and federal, tribal, state, and local justice systems.
• ONAA facilitates and promotes a statewide framework for state and tribal partnerships that encourage the cooperation and collaboration between tribal, state, federal and local justice agencies through coordination of intergovernmental services, programs and technical assistance for justice-related issues.