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ONEIDA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A joint venture business under the Oneida Nation says it will terminate its contract to work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
According to an online database last week, Oneida-Stantec JV LLC was awarded a $3.9 million contract to work with the federal government on construction of ICE detention facilities.
Native Americans across the country have voiced backlash to these types of deals, pointing out their ancestors were once the subject of government-forced removals.
Jeff House, Oneida ESC Group CEO, apologized Friday for greenlighting the contract and said “it was a huge’ mistake,” during a news conference.
You may not agree or appreciate the decision but I do want you to know that when I made the decision, the scope of work was really about inspecting facilities, making sure they’re up to code, making sure that they meet humane standards, making sure it’s properly engineered and while I don’t approve and am appalled by ICE activities, these people are being detained and put in a facility somewhere and what had gone through my mind was, ‘who is taking care of them? Who is looking out for their best interest?’
Oneida Nation chairman, Tehassi Hill, says the Oneida Business Committee was not aware of the contracts and the nation does not oversee the day-to-day decisions of its corporations.
In response, the Oneida Business Committee adopted a resolution indicating the Nation now requires its divisions, entities and tribal corporations to disengage from grants, agreements or contracts that involve Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“Passing this resolution is an initial step to implementing clarity about the Nation’s expectations that our employees, representatives, businesses and tribal corporations align with our core values. The Oneida Business Committee will consider other appropriate steps needed to prevent future misalignment with balanced measure using our Good Mind Principles,” Hill wrote Wednesday.
House agreed he will meet with the tribe quarterly on projects to ensure they align with the Nation’s values.
Online documents show Oneida-Stantec is based in Milwaukee and was formed in 2024 to receive government contracts in the environmental market. Stantec has six Wisconsin offices, including in De Pere and Sturgeon Bay.
The same online database says the business was awarded a $2.6 million contract on Sept. 19.
House says he thinks that contract came out of the Biden Administration but it didn’t get signed until the 22nd of September. Work has already begun on that project.
“I have to get more information on that particular contract. I’m just focused on this one that was awarded on the [December] 26th,” House said.
The $3.9 million contract was to perform construction and design quality assurance services through Aug. 28, 2026, to support ICE’s office of asset and facility management on a project in El Paso, Texas, according to the online database. The $2.6 million contract was to provide facility condition assessments and property inventory information for ICE over a three-year period ending in September 2028.
In addition to the two recent ICE contracts, Oneida-Stantec has received six other contracts from the U.S. Department of Defense since September 2024, totaling more than $27.6 million.
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