This shift addresses U.S. border officials' increasing discretion in accepting status cards and recent detention incidents, as noted by Global News on February 19, 2026.

Previously, official guidance allowed First Nations people to enter the U.S. freely for work, study, or residency under the Jay Treaty of 1794, quoted by Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) in their advisory.

The revised notice warns that status cards' acceptance is "entirely at the discretion of U.S. authorities" and that they are invalid for air travel, as reported by CBC News on February 20, 2026.

ISC now "strongly recommends also carrying a valid passport," as quoted in the federal update.

Reports of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confiscating or damaging status cards, including cases involving Oglala Sioux Tribe members, prompted the change, detailed by Global News.

Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak echoed the advisory after an ICE encounter with a First Nations traveller, reported by Global News.

Grand Chief Cody Diabo of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake criticised it, arguing Canada should uphold Jay Treaty rights under U.S. Immigration Act Section 289 instead of mandating passports, quoted by CTV News.

Communities including Blood Tribe, Mississauga First Nation, Six Nations of the Grand River, and Garden River First Nation issued parallel alerts, recommending birth certificates, lineage letters, or blood quantum proof, as reported by multiple outlets including Unpublished.ca on February 19, 2026.

U.S. requirements for proving "Indian blood" quantum add hurdles, while the Jay Treaty Border Alliance advises layered documentation for smoother crossings, noted by CTV News.

These warnings underscore tensions in Indigenous cross-border rights amid stricter U.S. enforcement, urging travellers to consult Government of Canada sites, as posted on their official Facebook page on February 20, 2026.