Wisconsin Residents Illegally Held Hostage In Their Homes By Native American Tribe 

A plot line that looks straight out of Paramount’s hit series “Yellowstone,” Some 65 Wisconsin residents are being held hostage at the Lac du Flambeau Band Lake Superior Chippewa. The tribe has placed illegal barricades along the only roads leading to their homes, stopping residents from leaving and entering. Over frozen lakes that will soon melt with the next spring, the only way to get out of these reservations is by crossing them. 

31 days ago, yellow barricades were erected and concrete blocks joined together in a dispute over land rights between two non-tribal title firms, Lac du Flambeau and the tribe. As tensions rise, many fear violence as a result of the standoff. It also shines a needed spotlight on the dysfunctional arrangement that exists between Indian tribes in the United States and the federal government. 

John Johnson, the Tribal President, is asking for $20 million to open roads for just 15 years. Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany is demanding $20 million. This describes It is tantamount to “extortion.” Tiffany claims it is illegal because all four roads are eligible for federal funding under the Tribal Transportation Program. Tiffany states that the tribe received $218million in federal funds between 2013 and 2013. 

“I’m paying taxes to be illegally blockaded on my private land,” Marsha Panfil said. Panfil and Mike Hornbostel are the owners and operators of Hornwinkels Bear Stube. This is a historical bar and restaurant located in Lac du Flambeau. Since being blocked from their home, the only way they can get in and out is through a frozen lake. 

“I have to rent another house now so that I can continue to run my business,” Hornbostel. “Crossing a [frozen] lake with the hours that we keep just isn’t conducive to sanity,” Panfil was added. 

Many blockaded houses are more than 20 miles away from the nearest grocery and their residents’ jobs. Another blockaded resident, Denny Pearson, traverses Ross Allen Lake each day to get to work. But he won’t for long. “When the ice goes out, there’ll be no way to get to and from work,” Pearson spoke to The Federalist. Pearson stated that it is unlikely to be safe to cross the lake until the ice gets too thin. Then, locals fear that tensions will break. 

The Dispute 

Developers built homes for tribal members, and they were granted right-of-way rights for portions of the roads through tribal land. But, these easements have been in effect for over ten years. 

There is no denying that the tribe controls a portion of the roads it blocks. “I think that the tribe has a legitimate position. They want to be compensated,” Jeff Lang, a resident who is blocked, said this.

It is unclear whether the easements amount to $20 million. It is interesting that the tribe forbids anyone from looking at the rights-of way appraisals. Johnson, Tribal President Claims Title companies could have made much more if they had paid less. “negotiate[d] in good faith”