PIERRE, S.D. – Governor Kristi Noem says she is concerned that the COVID-19 checkpoints on two South Dakota reservations could obstruct essential services.
“If somebody needs an ambulance on a reservation, that one can get to them, and I’m not sure of that today with these checkpoints operating the way they are.”
Noem says she’s also concerned about food services getting through.
The Oglala Sioux and Cheyenne River tribes say they are trying to protect their residents from the coronavirus. They are standing firm against Noem’s threats of legal action.
Cheyenne River Chairman, Harold Frazier, says the tribe “will not apologize for being an island of safety in a sea of uncertainty and death.”
The Governor says she is hearing complaints from travelers, ranchers, and businesses about the checkpoints at the entrances to the reservations.
Noem’s checkpoint standoff with the tribes is making national news with stories on cable news channels and in newspapers.
