What is ICWA?
ICWA stands for Indian Child Welfare Act. (25 U.S.C. ยง 1901 et seq.) ICWA is a multifaceted statute that includes provisions addressing tribal rights and opportunities, Indian social and cultural considerations, and minimum federal standards for state court proceedings involving Indian children. This act implements the federal government’s trust responsibility to tribes by protecting and preserving the bond between Indian children and their tribe and culture. Congress passed ICWA to address the misuse of state child protection power in removing Indian children and placing them with non-Indian families.
