INDIAN CHILD WELFARE LAW CENTER

Since 1993, the ICWA Law Center has advocated in over 3,700 cases involving more than 6,500 children. Ensuring our clients have a voice in the future of their children is paramount in every aspect of our work. We are committed to providing the highest quality of legal services through a culturally specific and holistic approach. Our dedicated staff and volunteers work tirelessly to advocate for the best interests of Indian children and their right to maintain family and tribal connections. We are proud of our work and humbled by the perseverance of our clients. Despite 20 years of protection under the ICWA, alarming disparities in out-of-home placements of Indian children continue to plague the child protection system. The numbers are frightening. In Minnesota, Indian children today are removed from their homes at a rate seven times that of the total population and higher than any other ethnic group in Minnesota. In Hennepin County, the rate is even higher. American Indian/Alaskan Native children make up only 1% of the population under 18 years of age; yet they represent 9.2% of the children in foster care. Holding all other factors constant, these children are twice as likely to be removed from the home after a finding of abuse or neglect as children from any other racial or ethnic group. These disparities must end. Through direct advocacy, education, and collaboration, the ICWA Law Center is committed to ending the disparities and honoring the right of Indian children to be raised in the context of their family and culture.