Trump's Freeze on Virtually All Federal Funding Hits Indian Country Particularly Hard

Guest Opinion.The undermining of our treaty rights we’re seeing on Native healthcare, nutrition, and education are not new.

During Trump’s first term, he repeatedly proposed cutting funding for Native education programs -- including a budget request to zero-out funding for the Bureau of Indian Education Facilities.

Now, one of the first executive orders of his second term abolishes initiatives implemented by President Biden that had addressed education equity for Native peoples, including initiatives that had strengthened Tribal colleges and universities.

His administration’s freeze on virtually all federal funding hits Indian Country particularly hard, impacting Native health and nutrition programs.

Now, Congress is preparing a budget framework that reportedly seeks to cut at least $350 billion from Medicaid and SNAP nutrition benefits, which will impact tens of millions of people across Turtle Island -- disproportionately impacting Native peoples.

30% of all Native people are on Medicaid.
59% of all Indian Health Services facilities are funded by Medicaid.

Cuts to these critical programs are a violation of the U.S. Constitution which established 3 sovereign entities that have direct relations to the federal government: states, cities and Tribal nations.

Together, we must never stop demanding the federal government uphold the U.S. Constitution and our treaty rights, and invest in our communities, Native and non-Native.

Judith LeBlanc (Caddo) is the executive director of Native Organizers Alliance and NOA Action Fund. 

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