On the recordJuly 14, 2010
This morning a team of Iroquois Indians attempted to board a plane for the United Kingdom to compete in an international lacrosse competition, where they would represent the Iroquois or Hodneshoni Nation on the world stage. Again they were denied entry because they were traveling on their own people's passports instead of U.S. or Canadian. Though the British invited this team to compete from the Iroquois Nation, they refused the Iroquois passports unless the U.S. officially said it was okay. But the U.S. refused to do so, even though dozens of Iroquois have traveled internationally, including overseas with these documents. Mr. Speaker, the Iroquois nationals team is not a security risk and willingly subjected themselves to fingerprinting and background checks. In fact, the U.S. State Department offered to rapidly expedite U.S. passports for much of the team. But to this team, accepting U.S. passports would be akin to renouncing their own national and ethnic identity. It's a matter of principle to them.
