WASHINGTON, D.C. (MyBellinghamNow.com) – The Lummi Nation and other local tribes are welcoming new proposed legislation aimed at giving them more tools to fight the opioid crisis.

U.S. Representative Rick Larsen was among several lawmakers who introduced the bipartisan PROTECT Act the week of Aug. 8.

PROTECT stands for Protection for Reservation Occupants against Trafficking and Evasive Communications Today. The act looks to give more authority for Tribal courts to issue search warrants for the social media accounts of suspected drug dealers.

It would also expand Tribal criminal jurisdiction over drug trafficking crimes to speed up the process for prosecuting those types of criminals.

“For the past few years, Tribes have been urging Congress to move forward with legislative fixes that recognize our sovereignty and restore jurisdiction over non-tribal predatory drug dealers who are causing great harm at Lummi Nation. We thank everyone who has played a part in making this happen,” said Anthony Hillaire, Chairman of Lummi Nation.

The Lummi Nation declared a state of emergency over the fentanyl crisis in September 2023 and both Whatcom County and the City of Bellingham followed suit.

According to the CDC, American Indians and Alaska Natives had the highest drug overdose death rates of any group in the United States in 2020 and 2021.