STANDING ROCK INDIAN RESERVATION, N.D. — President Trump issued an executive order today to allow the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline through the Standing Rock Indian Reservation.

An American Civil Liberties Union delegation is in Standing Rock today, facilitating meetings between U.N. officials and members of the International Indian Treaty Council.

Jamil Dakwar, director of the ACLU’s Human Rights Program, had the following response from Standing Rock:

“Trump’s decision to give the go-ahead for the Dakota Access Pipeline is a slap in the face to Native Americans and a blatant disregard for the rights to their land.  By law, they are entitled to water rights and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, not sacrificed for political expediency and profit making.  The Trump administration should allow careful environmental impact analysis to be completed with full and meaningful participation of affected tribes.”

More information about the ACLU’s work at Standing Rock is available here: https://www.aclu.org/feature/stand-standing-rock

This statement is also available online here: https://www.aclu.org/news/president-trump-issues-executive-order-allowing-construction-dakota-access-pipeline