CRBC News
Culture
Society
Security
Health
Conflict
Science
Technology
Politics
Environment
Lifestyle
Economy

Elaine Miles Says ICE Dismissed Her Tribal ID as 'Fake' During Redmond Detention

Actor Elaine Miles says she was briefly detained by ICE officers in Redmond, Washington, after an agent dismissed her tribal ID from the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla as "fake." She asked officers to call the tribal enrollment number printed on the card; they refused, so she called herself and an officer tried to take her phone before she was released. Miles and advocates describe the incident as racial profiling and say it reflects broader problems with how tribal citizenship is recognized by some enforcement agents. The encounter has left her fearful to travel alone and renewed calls for improved training and protections for Indigenous communities.

05:50 AM, 11/29/2025Society
Elaine Miles Says ICE Dismissed Her Tribal ID as 'Fake' During Redmond Detention

Elaine Miles, a Native American actor best known for her role on Northern Exposure, says she was stopped and briefly detained by four masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers while walking to a bus stop in Redmond, Washington. When she presented a tribal identification card issued by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, an agent told her the card "looked fake" and said "anyone can make that."

What happened

Miles says she asked the officers to call the tribal enrollment phone number printed on the card; they refused. She called the office herself, and while on the phone one officer attempted to take the device from her but was unsuccessful. After a short detention the agents released her and left in their vehicles.

She also told an advocacy group that similar encounters have happened to family members: both her son and her uncle were previously detained and later released after officers initially rejected their tribal identification.

Reactions and concerns

Posting through an Indigenous advocacy organization, Miles criticized how tribal IDs are treated by some officers:

“Tribal IDs—the government issued those damn cards to us like a pedigree dog! It’s not fake!”

Indigenous rights advocates say Miles's account reflects a broader problem. Gabriel Galanda, an Indigenous rights attorney based in Seattle, described the pattern as racial profiling and pointed to widespread ignorance about tribal citizenship among some government agents. He warned that such encounters echo troubling chapters of the nation’s history with Indigenous communities.

Local context and impact

According to local reports, the incident coincided with a day when immigration officers made several arrests in the area, prompting a municipal decision to disable license-plate-reading cameras at a nearby shopping center. Earlier this year, some tribal governments announced steps to protect their communities after reports that Indigenous people were being swept up in immigration enforcement actions.

Following the detention, Miles said she is now afraid to leave her home alone or go out at night. Advocates and community leaders say the episode underscores the need for better training and clearer protocols for recognizing tribal identification and protecting the rights of Indigenous people.

Similar Articles

Trending