For decades, Navajo County has been aiding tribal members and elders who weren’t born inside a hospital with obtaining birth certificates. But lately, they’ve seen a spike in applicants following reports of Natives getting detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Phoenix and nationwide.
Last year, 305 residents applied for delayed birth certificates. Nearly two-thirds of 9,949-square-mile county encompasses tribal lands belonging to Navajos, Hopis and White Mountain Apaches.
Violet Redbird-Nez, who is Kiowa and Diné, has been a vital records specialist with the Navajo County Public Health Services District for about three years now. She’s been keeping busy with an influx of new customers.
“Our numbers have gone up, they’re hearing about us,” said Redbird-Nez. “We have increased our clients on delayed births significantly, where we can average anywhere from three to four a day — Monday through Thursday — in our office.”
And a “huge factor” has been the town of Kayenta on the Navajo Nation.
She also treks there quarterly to help residents get documented in-person and for the last three months, Redbird-Nez shared there’s an uptick: “They’re worried that they might get deported.”
Twenty-two new applications were submitted last month alone.
Once the paperwork is filled out, it typically takes six weeks but Redbird-Nez believes that life-changing process is well worth the wait, adding, “It’s so endearing to know that they came by to say, ‘Hey, thank you for helping me get my birth registered. I’m legal now,’ is what they say.”
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