- Details
- By Levi Rickert
The Oneida Nation, located in Green Bay, Wisc., is seeking legal advice on how to disengage from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) contracts after learning that one of its subsidiaries was awarded more than $6 million in federal agreements, prompting sharp criticism from tribal members and Native advocates.
Federal contract records show that Oneida-Stantec JV LLC, a Milwaukee-based joint venture that operates under the Oneida Engineering and Support Services Group holding company, secured two ICE contracts in late 2025 totaling more than $6 million.
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The first contract, valued at $2.6 million and awarded in September, covers facility condition assessments and property inventory services over a three-year period. A second contract, worth $3.9 million, was awarded in December to provide construction and design quality assurance services for an ICE project in El Paso, Texas.
The contracts were first reported by a social media activists. The social media posting was seen by Oneida Nation citizens and others who raised concerns about the Nation profiting from immigration enforcement activities, including detention and deportation.
In an initial statement, the Oneida Nation Business Committee said it was conducting “due diligence to address the issue in a legal and transparent manner.” In a follow-up statement issued Dec. 31, the committee condemned the subsidiary’s involvement and announced concrete steps to prevent similar situations.
The Business Committee passed a resolution requiring all tribal entities to disengage from any contracts or agreements involving ICE. Leaders said the decision was guided by the Nation’s “Good Mind Principles,” which emphasize ethical responsibility and alignment with community values.
The controversy follows a similar disclosure last month involving the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, whose leaders confirmed that a tribally affiliated company had obtained a contract connected to ICE detention operations. In that case, tribal officials moved swiftly, terminating senior executives associated with the subsidiary and publicly reaffirming the tribe’s opposition to immigration detention.
Native advocates pointed to that response as an example of accountability, and some urged the Oneida Nation to take comparable action.
Oneida Nation officials said they are reviewing internal oversight policies for subsidiaries and joint ventures to ensure future business activities align with tribal values. Official statements and updates have been posted on the Nation’s website and social media platforms.
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