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- By Levi Rickert
Opinion. In written testimony submitted to a House Appropriations subcommittee last Thursday, National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) President Mark Macarro, chairman of the Pechanga Band of Indians, detailed the impact the second Trump administration is having in Indian County.
“The Trump Administration’s early actions have generated confusion, fear, and real consequences throughout Indian Country. This includes freezing and potentially reallocating vital federal funding, firing essential federal employees, and proposing changes to important Tribal programs, such as education. We have also been wrongly caught up in Administration efforts related to illegal immigration and diversity, equity, and inclusion and environmental justice programs,” Macarro wrote.
You may not be feeling it, but what is happening in Indian Country as a result of Trump's executive orders and the gutting of the federal government by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is real.
At the hearing, Ahniwake Rose (Cherokee), president and CEO of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium, testified about the devastating impact of the "Department of Government Efficiency" initiative on tribal colleges. The executive order has eliminated 27% of staff at Haskell Indian Nations University and 24% at Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI).
“These actions taken mid-year are causing nothing but chaos on our campuses. As students struggle for answers on how course changes will impact their graduation, they worry about whether they’ll be able to continue their coursework past the spring and lose trusted coaches mid-season. They deserve better,” Rose said during her oral testimony.
You may not be feeling it, but these conditions are real for Native students at Haskell and SIPI.
Last week, our sister publicationTribal Business News reported that in Oklahoma, leases were terminated at BIA and IHS offices that serve Native American communities.
A spokesperson for the Kiowa Tribe told CBS affiliate KWTV that the BIA office in Carnegie had been empty for multiple years, making the lease cancellation largely a formality. In Seminole, however, seven employees reportedly lost their jobs when that office was shuttered earlier this month, with phone lines now disconnected, Tribal Business News reported.
You may not be feeling it, but these conditions are real for IHS and BIA office workers in Oklahoma and five other states.
To better understand the situation, we conducted a short reader survey to determine how the administration’s executive orders and firings are affecting Indian Country. In the three-question reader survey conducted by Native News Online, 85% of participants expressed disapproval of the Trump administration’s approach to cutting federal spending. Around 63% of participants said either they or someone they know has been negatively affected by federal budget cuts.
On Sunday, a reader who relies on federal government contracts and fears retribution sent me an email.
“The Tribal Transportation Program and its technical and funding assistance are critical to saving lives, allowing Tribes to address the disproportionately high rates of traffic fatalities and serious injuries on reservation roads. Freezing these funds, as President Donald Trump has done, directly undermines this federal responsibility and puts lives at risk,” wrote the reader, who wanted to remain anonymous for fear of retribution from the MAGA crowd.
“Tribal communities already face some of the highest roadway fatality rates in the nation, and a funding freeze means continued delays in vital projects such as road resurfacing, proper signage installation, and pedestrian safety measures,” the reader continued. “Every delay translates to more lives lost on roads that could and should be safer. I have been informed that the FHWA has been ordered to stop reviewing grants, to stop issuing approvals for projects, and to essentially stop assisting the tribes.”
You may not be feeling it, but the high levels of deaths on tribal roadways are real.
The recent federal budget cuts implemented by the Trump administration have cast a long shadow over Indian Country, threatening the very fabric of services and programs that uphold the health, education, and economic well-being of Native communities. These austerity measures not only undermine treaty obligations but also exacerbate historical injustices faced by Indigenous peoples.
The federal budget cuts under the Trump administration represent more than just fiscal policy adjustments; they signify a breach of trust and a step backward in the pursuit of equity for Native communities. By undermining critical services and programs, these cuts exacerbate existing challenges and hinder the progress of Indigenous peoples toward self-determination and prosperity.
It is imperative for policymakers to recognize and honor the unique legal and moral obligations owed to tribal nations, ensuring that future budgets reflect a commitment to justice and the well-being of all Indigenous peoples.
As Native Americans, we are taught to make decisions that are long-lasting–prepare for the next seven generations. It is imperative for tribal nations and their allies to stay informed and engaged to ensure the protection and advancement of Indigenous rights and sovereignty.
While the impacts of the Trump administration in Indian Country may not always be immediately visible, they are real.
Thayék gde nwéndëmen - We are all related.
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