Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day, 2022

This proclamation declares May 5, 2022 as Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day, memorializing victims and their families. It highlights ongoing Biden administration efforts including an executive order on Native American public safety, a DOJ steering committee for regionally appropriate guidelines, and the March 2022 Violence Against Women Act reauthorization expanding Tribal court jurisdiction over non-Native perpetrators. The proclamation calls on Americans and all government levels to support Tribal awareness efforts.

Federal Register Open PDF 87 FR 27905

Impact dates

May 5, 2022
Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day proclaimed

Key directives

Proclaim May 5, 2022 as Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day
Call on all Americans to support Tribal awareness efforts
Ask all levels of government to support Tribal governments and communities' awareness programs

Timeline

Immediate

Proclamation of May 5, 2022 as awareness day
Call to all Americans and government levels to support Tribal awareness efforts

Near term (90d)

DOJ to continue developing regionally appropriate guidelines with Tribal Nations
DOJ steering committee oversight and coordination work
Outreach services liaison operations in Federal criminal cases in Indian Country

Long term

Implementation of coordinated Federal law enforcement strategy
Improved data collection, analysis, and information sharing
Prevention, early intervention, and survivor services strengthening
Pilot project for Alaska Native village survivor safety access

Risks & tensions

Proclamation references but does not itself mandate new concrete actions—most initiatives described are already underway
Vague 'call on all Americans' and 'ask all levels of government' lacks enforcement mechanism
No specific funding or accountability metrics tied to this proclamation