Wednesday, January 14, 2026

A team from the Canadian military has arrived at a northern Manitoba First Nation, which is dealing with a severe water crisis. One of the reserve’s water treatment plants has been out of commission for two weeks after a power outage. More from Dan Karpenchuk. The power was out for days after a line that ran between two islands on the Nelson River broke. Although power was restored after a couple of days, the outage resulted in frozen water systems, sewer backups, electrical issues, and burst pipes. About 4,400 residents were displaced after the reserve declared a state of emergency. Pimicikamak is more than 300 miles north of Winnipeg. Chief David Monias says a seven member military team from the Joint Operational Support Group, based in Kingston, Ontario, have arrived and will provide technical assistance and support related to critical infrastructure. “The army with their engineers and their logistics people are gonna be taking a look … they’re doing a site tour of the water plant right now.  Take notes and identify what needs to be fixed and assess how it needs to be fixed and what resources are required to fix it.” Monias adds that nearly every one of the 1,300 homes in the community will need some kind of repairs. And Band councillor Shirley Robinson says having so many people forced out of their homes in mid-winter is taking an emotional toll. “They really want to go home and there’s a feeling of displacement that feeling of isolation, that feeling of they can’t be with their community.” Monias says a second military team is due to arrive on Wednesday. Meanwhile plumbers and other skilled workers from outside the province are also on their way to Pimicikamak to help with water and electrical issues. And Monias says a US company has reached out about sending a portable water plant to the First Nation. It’s not the first time Pimicikamak residents were forced to leave their reserve, many were sent south twice because of wild fires. Indigenous peoples across the U.S. have been swept up in the Trump administration’s crackdown on undocumented immigrants. As KJZZ’s Gabriel Pietrorazio reports, an Arizona tribe is taking steps to safeguard its tribal members. “Thank you for calling the Hualapai Tribe’s message line where we encourage you to report any encounters with ICE agents.” The Hualapai Tribe near Kingman has set up a hotline. VOICEMAIL: “Please leave your name and contact information as well as the date, location and a brief description of the incident. All information received will be checked and documented by tribal administration.” Hualapai Chairman Duane Clarke is urging members to remain calm and always carry their tribal ID cards with them. His administration is also pledging to aid its 2,300 members in verifying their identity should they be held by federal authorities. This comes in the aftermath of a fatal shooting by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Minneapolis, Minn., which is also where four members from a South Dakota tribe have been detained. A number of tribes in the Twin Cities this week are issuing tribal IDs to their citizens. Tribal leaders have been raising concerns about the safety of their citizens in the area following last week’s shooting. They are encouraging their citizens to carry identification, including tribal IDs. White Earth Nation, Red Lake Nation, Bois Forte Band, Mille Lacs Band, and Leech Lake Band are among tribes holding ID events at their urban offices. Leaders of Native organizations and grassroots groups have been responding to the shooting with community safety plans, as members of the Native community have been reporting interactions with ICE. A community prayer and gathering was held Sunday and organizers are hosting “know your rights” events this week.   Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out the latest episode of Native America Calling Wednesday, January 14, 2026 – A new tax law change means hundreds of millions of dollars more per year for tribes