2 Native American tribes are defying South Dakota Gov. Noem's order to remove roadside checkpoints that tribal leaders claim are necessary to keep coronavirus from infecting reservations, officials say.
Noem's staff issued memos on Friday and Sunday to make it"perfectly clear it is unlawful to interrupt the flow of traffic on these roads," according to the most recent communication.
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Chairman Harold Frazier told MSNBC on Sunday that federal-tribal treaties allow the tribe to monitor who comes through reservations, and to turn away travelers if they're from areas known to be coronavirus hotspots. With few hospital beds on their reservation, Frazier said his tribe believes the checkpoints will save lives.
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