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Tribes across the country are assessing what a pause on federal loans, grants, and other financial assistance programs means for their communities.
This comes after the Trump administration issued a memorandum this week, on the funding freeze from the Office of Management and Budget.
The pause was to become effective on Tuesday at 5 p.m., but a federal judge blocked it until a hearing on Monday.
Tribes in Alaska, Idaho, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Michigan, North Dakota, Nebraska, and more states assured their communities in letters and statements that their leaders are aware of the memo and are working with their internal departments and federal partners to understand the impacts.
Tribal leaders say they are committed to protecting tribal sovereignty, and to holding the federal government accountable for treaty and trust responsibilities.
The Fort Hall Business Council in Idaho said in a statement it will continue to aggressively monitor the new administration’s actions and inform the community on issues of concern.
In a statement, the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska said the funding freeze sent shock waves throughout their community and Indian Country creating mass confusion. The tribe says its council is engaging with allies in Congress to push back against any potential disruptions to tribal programs.
Tribal allies in Congress include New Mexico’s delegation.
The all-Democratic delegation held a press conference Tuesday to address the funding freeze and says concerns were raised from tribes across the state.
U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM) says Taos Pueblo was having issues using federal portals to conduct tribal business.
U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-NM) says he was at a morning meeting on Zuni Pueblo with the Zuni Youth Enrichment Project, which receives federal dollars to serve thousands of children in Zuni.
(Courtesy Zuni Youth Enrichment Project)
He says funds essentially vanished overnight due to the freeze and the program could not access its system to pay invoices or pay employees.
“We’re not talking about entitlement projects to Americans that don’t deserve to be funded. We’re talking about the health and welfare of children in the state and the things that will help them grow up to lead healthy lives.”
The delegation says it also heard from the Mescalero Apache Tribe and concerns about impacts to public safety.
Rep. Vasquez says this action was a misfire by the president.
“And I think the American people truly see that this administration is not organized to its approach to changing policy that there needs to be public dialog with folks in our districts, our communities, what is best for our district, this state, this nation.”
U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury and U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) also addressed concerns.
The New Mexico congressional delegation says it will fight against the funding freeze and work to protect vital services.
The White House defended the action during a press conference Tuesday saying the funding pause will not impact individuals and it’s temporary.
The Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Pontotoc County District Attorney Erik Johnson.
Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby says the agreement is a proactive step to protect the safety and security of the community.
He adds the memorandum establishes an important partnership to enhance communication among county, tribal, and federal law enforcement.
He says it’s another step in the Chickasaw Nation’s commitment to working together to provide public safety in their communities.
Johnson says communication between his office and the tribe’s prosecutors has always been good, but the MOU will help to facilitate better communication and coordination.
Johnson’s office has a partnership at the federal level with the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, which is responsible for prosecution of felony and misdemeanor crimes.
The MOU seeks better communication among these prosecuting offices where jurisdiction may sometimes overlap.
The Chickasaw Nation and the DA’s office have hosted DA trainings together.
According to the tribe, it currently has more than 80 cross deputation agreements with other criminal justice agencies.
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