Why is the United States introducing requirements for Indian people of Canada who visit with eagle items?
Under the U.S. Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, no one may legally enter or leave the United States with items made from bald or golden eagles. For years, this prohibition applied even to U.S. Native Americans who wanted to travel outside of the United States with personally owned eagle items for religious or cultural use. FWS regulations and enforcement policies, which were implemented a few years ago, provide a legal mechanism authorizing enrolled members of U.S. federally recognized tribes to travel internationally with eagle items. Those rules, however, did not apply to Indian people from Canada. Many of these individuals routinely travel to the United States to participate in religious and cultural ceremonies involving the use of eagle items. The new policy that went into effect on February 1, 2003, makes it possible for Indian people of Canada to legally visit the United States with personally owned eagle items for religious and cultural use.
