Tribal IDs and REAL IDs do not confirm U.S. Citizenship. That’s a Problem.
Ginny Underwood is executive director of Rock The Native Vote and a citizen of the Comanche Nation.
by Ginny Underwood | March 19, 2026
If I were stopped by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or a federally deputized trooper from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, neither my Tribal ID nor a REAL ID would prove I am a U.S. citizen.
That’s the reality many don’t see. We hear it all the time from community members who believe their Tribal ID will be enough.
In my role as executive director for Rock The Native Vote, a non-partisan voter engagement organization, we have worked to partner with Tribal enrollment offices to host pop-up ID events helping Tribal citizens obtain or renew their Tribal IDs.
Tribal IDs matter. They are valid for registering and voting in Oklahoma. They represent sovereignty, identity, and belonging. But they do not prove U.S. citizenship.
For example, my tribe, the Comanche Nation, determines citizenship through lineage. We have Tribal members who live around the world, born in different countries but qualify as a Tribal citizen under our constitution. Enrollment officers cannot certify those members are also a U.S. citizen.
Our research did not identify any tribally issued ID that explicitly affirms U.S. citizenship. This includes enhanced Tribal IDs offered by some of the larger Tribes in Oklahoma. At face value, law enforcement officers have no reliable way to determine whether these enhanced IDs are subject to the same vetting standards as passports, such as background checks or in-person interviews.
In testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on December 17, 2025, Tribal leaders reported documented cases of wrongful detention and raised concerns about racial profiling. In one instance, ICE agents reportedly dismissed valid, federally recognized Tribal IDs as “fake.”
Beyond Tribal IDs, federal courts have held state-issued driver’s license and ID cards prove identity but not citizenship. Most IDs only confirm lawful presence within a state.
The most widely accepted documents to prove U.S. citizenship are a U.S. passport, passport card, or a certified birth certificate. For many Indigenous families these options are financially out of reach. The average fee for a passport book is approximately $165, even when providing your own photo. The passport card is more affordable; the cost still presents a barrier for families with multiple children.
This is an issue Indigenous families must take seriously. Native Americans are often treated as “immigrant adjacent” in enforcement situations. Indigenous leaders in Minneapolis reported that during ICE crackdowns in January 2026, community members were racially profiled, detained and afraid to leave their homes for weeks.
Preparation is one of the strongest tools communities have. Obtaining official proof of U.S. citizenship is a critical step in protecting families.
The Comanche Nation has begun the process to offer enhanced IDs to Tribal members but it will be two years before that service is in place. In the meantime, as a Comanche citizen, I am preparing resolutions that will:
If I were stopped by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or a federally deputized trooper from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, neither my Tribal ID nor a REAL ID would prove I am a U.S. citizen.
That’s the reality many don’t see. We hear it all the time from community members who believe their Tribal ID will be enough.
In my role as executive director for Rock The Native Vote, a non-partisan voter engagement organization, we have worked to partner with Tribal enrollment offices to host pop-up ID events helping Tribal citizens obtain or renew their Tribal IDs.
Tribal IDs matter. They are valid for registering and voting in Oklahoma. They represent sovereignty, identity, and belonging. But they do not prove U.S. citizenship.
For example, my tribe, the Comanche Nation, determines citizenship through lineage. We have Tribal members who live around the world, born in different countries but qualify as a Tribal citizen under our constitution. Enrollment officers cannot certify those members are also a U.S. citizen.
Our research did not identify any tribally issued ID that explicitly affirms U.S. citizenship. This includes enhanced Tribal IDs offered by some of the larger Tribes in Oklahoma. At face value, law enforcement officers have no reliable way to determine whether these enhanced IDs are subject to the same vetting standards as passports, such as background checks or in-person interviews.
In testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on December 17, 2025, Tribal leaders reported documented cases of wrongful detention and raised concerns about racial profiling. In one instance, ICE agents reportedly dismissed valid, federally recognized Tribal IDs as “fake.”
Beyond Tribal IDs, federal courts have held state-issued driver’s license and ID cards prove identity but not citizenship. Most IDs only confirm lawful presence within a state.
The most widely accepted documents to prove U.S. citizenship are a U.S. passport, passport card, or a certified birth certificate. For many Indigenous families these options are financially out of reach. The average fee for a passport book is approximately $165, even when providing your own photo. The passport card is more affordable; the cost still presents a barrier for families with multiple children.
This is an issue Indigenous families must take seriously. Native Americans are often treated as “immigrant adjacent” in enforcement situations. Indigenous leaders in Minneapolis reported that during ICE crackdowns in January 2026, community members were racially profiled, detained and afraid to leave their homes for weeks.
Preparation is one of the strongest tools communities have. Obtaining official proof of U.S. citizenship is a critical step in protecting families.
The Comanche Nation has begun the process to offer enhanced IDs to Tribal members but it will be two years before that service is in place. In the meantime, as a Comanche citizen, I am preparing resolutions that will:
- Request financial assistance for Tribal citizens to obtain passports or passport cards;
- Explore processes to verify U.S. citizenship where possible; and
- Consider adding language to Tribal IDs that affirms citizenship status when verified.