The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, one of the oldest and largest judicial membership organizations in the country serving an estimated 30,000 professionals in the juvenile and family justice system has released a statement supporting ICWA.
The full statement is available here
The Honorable John J. Romero, Jr. President, National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (bold added by me):
It’s imperative to preserve the rights, culture, connections, and traditions of Indian children and their families. The disproportionate numbers of American Indian and Alaska Native children in our child welfare system persist almost 40 years after ICWA became law. Consequently, the new ICWA rules and regulations enacted in 2016 promote the uniform application of ICWA and to advance and protect Indian children’s best interests.
Our American Indian and Alaska Native children are essential to the security and stability of each tribe. In each ICWA proceeding, the judicial officer and other court professionals should be mindful that children are the heart of the law. Committed uniform application of ICWA and the Regulations will advance and protect the best interests of each child and enhance tribal security and stability.
Turtle Talk 