Members of South Dakota's Indian tribes say they've watched for
too long as the state's Department of Social Services removed
children from the reservation and placed many of them in white
foster homes. And Thursday, they're took legal action. Holding
signs that read "Indian families have rights," and "When did
kidnapping become legal?" members of several tribes stood in
front of Rapid City's federal building. The gathering preceded
the filing of a class action lawsuit on behalf of three families
alleging that the state's DSS has violated the Indian Child
Welfare Act. "It is disturbing how often Indian children are
separated from their parents, tribes an d communities based on
flimsy evidence," said Stephen Pevar, senior staff attorney with
the American Civil Liberties Union's Racial Justice Program.
"Whenever a family goes through the difficult separation
process, state officials must ensure people's fundamental rights
are not thrown out the window. These children, parents and
tribes are entitled to more by