The Oneida Nation has removed the head of its business enterprise group after one of its companies secured contracts with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, triggering internal backlash and public criticism.
The Oneida ESC Group announced Thursday that Matt Kunstman was appointed interim president and CEO effective Jan. 5, replacing former leader Jeff House.
House was fired after the Oneida Business Committee voted to remove him over his approval of a nearly $3.8 million ICE contract in December involving Oneida-Stantec JV LLC, a subsidiary of the group. The company had also been awarded a separate $2.6 million ICE contract in September. Under the agreements, the firm was set to provide engineering services and maintenance for federal facilities.
House later moved to sever the December contract and issued a public apology in a Jan. 2 video broadcast, saying he regretted the decision, according to WPR.
“I know now it was a huge mistake,” House said. “You may not agree or appreciate the decision, but I do want you to know that when I made the decision, the scope of work was really about inspecting facilities, making sure they’re up to code, making sure that they meet humane standards, making sure that it’s properly engineered.”
In an open letter, House said the company never intended to support or advance ICE enforcement operations.
Tribal leadership said they were not informed of the contract before it was approved. Tehassi Hill, chairman of the Oneida Nation, said neither he nor the Oneida Business Committee were involved in the day-to-day operations of tribal companies.
“I also stand strong in my words and conviction that the business venture does not align with the nation’s values, our culture and who we are as Haudenosaunee people, and it is something the committee would have never entertained had it been made aware of this,” Hill said during the Jan. 2 broadcast.
The contracts prompted sharp reaction from tribal citizens. Rebecca Webster, a former senior attorney for the Oneida Nation, said she was stunned by the deals and questioned ICE’s conduct.
“For anybody affiliated with the Oneida Nation to enter into a contract that would seemingly support what they’re doing … it runs contrary to the things that I believe in,” Webster said. “We shouldn’t do anything to support the current way ICE is handling our relatives and our community members.”
In response, the Oneida Business Committee replaced the entire board overseeing Oneida ESC Group and appointed Debra Powless as interim board manager, who then selected Kunstman as interim CEO.
“I am honored to be named Interim President/CEO and grateful for the trust placed in me,” Kunstman said in a statement.
The committee has directed the group to review all current and pending federal contracts to ensure they align with the nation’s core values and adopted a resolution requiring companies to incorporate those values into corporate social responsibility policies.
House said terminating the December ICE contract should not result in financial penalties, but warned the earlier September contract could pose legal risks since work had already begun. He said about 80% of the group’s revenue comes from federal contracts and that it generated $177 million in fiscal year 2025.