Arizona Sens. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), along with Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.), are pressing the Indian Health Service (IHS) to immediately halt plans to eliminate the Tucson Area Office and merge its operations with the Phoenix Area Office until meaningful consultation with affected tribal nations has been completed.
In a letter sent today to IHS leadership, the lawmakers expressed alarm over the proposed consolidation, which is part of a broader agency realignment initiative. They argued that the move could negatively affect healthcare access for tribal citizens in Southern Arizona, particularly members of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe and the Tohono O’odham Nation.
The Tucson Area Office serves as the primary point of contact for healthcare services supporting nearly 28,000 patients from the two tribes. Under the Trump administration’s proposal, its functions would be absorbed by the Phoenix Area Office, potentially requiring patients and staff to travel up to two hours to access services and administrative support. Lawmakers also warned that specialized programs, including dedicated diabetes care services, could be jeopardized.
“We write to express our serious concerns regarding the recently announced proposal to eliminate the Tucson Area Office by merging it with the Phoenix Area as part of the Indian Health Service’s broader realignment initiative,” the lawmakers wrote. “We ask that you immediately suspend implementation of the merger until you have clarified any impact this consolidation will have on the tribal nations in Southern Arizona and have completed meaningful, formal tribal consultation.”
The lawmakers questioned why Tucson was singled out for consolidation, noting that it is the only IHS area office slated for elimination under the current restructuring plan.
“It remains unclear how the Tucson Area Office, the only office that would be consolidated through this initiative, was selected for consolidation and whether the repercussions of this decision have been fully considered,” they wrote.
The congressional delegation’s concerns mirror objections previously raised by the Tohono O’odham Nation in a February 2026 tribal consultation response. In their letter, Gallego, Kelly, and Grijalva requested detailed answers from IHS by June 15 regarding the decision-making process behind the consolidation, the extent of consultation conducted with affected tribes, and plans to prevent disruptions in healthcare services.
The lawmakers also called on the agency to explain “how your agency plans to ensure continued quality of care, support tribal self-determination and self-governance, and uphold its trust obligations to the tribes of Southern Arizona.”
The dispute highlights growing concerns among tribal leaders and federal lawmakers that major changes to Indian health programs are being advanced without sufficient tribal consultation, a requirement rooted in the federal government’s trust responsibility to Native nations.