By YASSER MARTE | The CUJ
MISSION — The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) Board of Trustees (BOT) approved a resolution to reimburse Tribal citizens for fees paid to obtain or renew Tribal identification cards.
The BOT met Jan. 26 in their chamber at the Nixyaawii Governance Center and unanimously approved a policy allowing the CTUIR Enrollment Office to reimburse Tribal members for U.S. passports and REAL ID driver’s licenses and ID cards.
In the weeks leading up to the approval, the board took several steps to expand access to updated identification cards for Tribal members.
On Jan. 9, the BOT and the Umatilla Tribal Police Department held a work session to discuss protecting Tribal members during potential encounters with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), including identification, internal readiness and public messaging. The meeting was prompted by reports that ICE had declined to recognize Tribal IDs, leading the CTUIR to develop a protocol to help members maintain current identification and safely navigate possible interactions with the agency.
The discussion also renewed focus on the Tribal identification project, which the CTUIR started in June 2025, but paused after costs proved too high.
On Jan. 12, after the work session, the board approved a separate resolution allocating $3,000 to provide free Tribal ID cards to CTUIR members, which normally costs $5.
Continuing the effort, the board held a work session on Jan. 15 to discuss broader strategies for improving Tribal members’ access to identification. Toni Minthorn, enrollment director for the CTUIR, addressed the board, outlining ways members could update their REAL IDs and explaining the board’s efforts to make IDs more accessible.
“Last year, we explored creating an enhanced Tribal ID card, similar to projects other tribes nationwide have pursued, but it proved to be very expensive,” Minthorn said.
She added that initial estimates suggested it would have been cheaper to purchase passports for every traveling member than to implement the enhanced ID project.
“Even after costs were lowered over the years, vendor issues caused expenses to rise, and we ultimately terminated the project,” she said. “In place of that project, the board directed that we reimburse tribal members for state-issued enhanced driver’s licenses or ID cards.”
Tribal ID updates and guidance
To help Tribal members maintain secure, up-to-date identification, the CTUIR has implemented a reimbursement program to cover fees for Tribal, state or federal ID documents.
According to the CTUIR Enrollment Department, officials issued 342 Tribal identification cards to CTUIR members during the last six months of 2025. The tribe has approximately 3,200 enrolled members.
The initiative requires enrollment officials to track free identification cards for three years. Members who need a replacement within that period must pay the replacement fee.
Minthorn said reimbursement applies only to fees paid after Jan. 26, the policy’s approval date. However, the board made the resolution retroactive to Jan. 1, allowing members who obtained one of the documents between Jan. 1 and Jan. 26 to receive reimbursement.
She added that Tribal members are responsible for selecting which document to submit and for completing all application requirements, including passport applications. Members must pay all fees up front and submit receipts to the Enrollment Office for reimbursement.
Under the policy, any enrolled Tribal member is eligible for reimbursement for one identification document, regardless of age or location. The CTUIR will cover fees for a passport, a REAL ID card, or a standard driver’s license, including renewal fees submitted before or at expiration. Fees paid for lost or stolen documents or for expedited processing are not eligible.
As part of the initiative, enrollment officials will track when a Tribal member receives a free identification card for three years. Members who need a replacement card within that period must pay for it.
An individual must have one parent or grandparent who is an enrolled member and possess at least one-fourth degree of Indian blood from any federally recognized tribe in the United States, according to CTUIR enrollment requirements.
To apply, members must complete a Request for Reimbursement Form, available at the Enrollment Office or online. Along with the completed form, members must provide the original receipt for fees paid, a printed copy of any electronic receipt and a photocopy of the passport book, passport card, REAL ID card, or driver’s license.
The Enrollment Office will issue reimbursement to the person listed on the receipt, who must be an enrolled Tribal member. Once reimbursed for one eligible document, a member is not eligible for another reimbursement until the original document expires.
The initiatives aim to ensure Tribal members have secure, up-to-date identification and are prepared to assert their rights during any federal encounter.
Tribal members seeking an update or reimbursement should call the CTUIR Enrollment Office at 541-429-7035, email enrollment@ctuir.org.
