MCK clarifies issue regarding Status Cards

09/27/2011

The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK) has announced that it has received clarification that the ‘older style’ laminated Certificates of Indian Status will continue to be accepted as identification when crossing the border into the United States for an indeterminate period.

Chief Mike Bush said today that the Canadian Border Services Agency has confirmed this with U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency (CBPA). Earlier this month, the MCK had received reports by several Kahnawa’kehró:non that some U.S. border agents were informing them that the older laminated cards would not be accepted after October of this year.

“As we’ve said before, it may be that there are some overzealous border agents who are giving out the wrong information,” said Chief Bush. “I spoke to the Canadian authorities directly, who discussed and clarified the issue with their American counterparts. Additionally, we have been told that the U. S. CBPA will be conducting an investigation to find the source of the misinformation, as this is totally unacceptable.”

The MCK has been advising those Kahnawa’kehró:non who use the Certificate of Indian Status to cross the border that they should either use or apply for the new-style Status cards, which are now issued at the Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada offices located across from the Kateri Memorial Hospital Center. These new cards are available as either ‘secure’ certificates (recommended for border crossing) or the simpler updated (non-secure) version which is only recommended for those people who intend to use it to access services and not to cross the border.

Please note that, for a limited time, the MCK’s Social Development Unit will continue to issue the older laminated cards for emergency purposes only for those who have no identification, no card (or expired card) and require services.