The basis for demanding these rights is found in the fact that the majority of chaplains and religious leaders found in American prisons are Christian.  Furthermore, there is incredible diversity of belief among the 500 recognized Native American, Alaskan, or Hawaiian tribes that are in existence in the United States. 

According to the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the right to the free exercise of one’s religion is fundamental, and no exception for those people that are inmates in prison is made.  Therefore, not providing these basic civil and constitutional rights to Native American, Native Alaskan, and Native Hawaiian peoples of the United States represents a flagrant infringement of the Constitution.

Moreover, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 states that governments shall not substantially burden a person’s free exercise of religion even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability.  There is again no clear exception made for inmates in prison.

As such, we demand that immediate action be taken to ensure that the rights of Native American, Native Alaskan, and Native Hawaiian people are protected and  that the inconsistencies regarding the treatment of the North American First Nations and Native American, Native Alaskan, and Native Hawaiian peoples that are inmates in federal prisons, is resolved.