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Senate

Senators Push U.S. Marshals to Address Crisis Of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People

Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto and Markwayne Mullin want to allow the federal agency to assist tribal law enforcement, which they cannot do under current law.

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Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via AP Images) Tom Williams/AP

By Em Luetkemeyer

October 23, 2025 09:00 a.m.

Two senators want a federal law enforcement agency to help address the crisis of missing and murdered Native Americans in Indian Country.

New legislation, to be introduced on Thursday from Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada and Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, would allow the U.S. Marshals Service to help tribal law enforcement find missing children. In tribal law enforcement’s stead the service would also be able to search for and arrest suspects with warrants. Under current law, the U.S. Marshals Service can assist local law enforcement, but not tribal. The Tribal Warrant Fairness Act would amend that.

“Tribal communities need more tools to combat violent crime,” Cortez Masto, who represents a state with 28 federally recognized tribes, said in a news release.