Indian Affairs highlights tribal self-governance, education, and digital infrastructure during visit to Arizona and New Mexico

Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Billy Kirkland traveled to Arizona and New Mexico to meet with tribal leaders, education officials and Bureau of Indian Affairs staff, focusing on tribal self-governance, education coordination, public safety and efforts to reduce the federal probate backlog.

In Albuquerque, Kirkland visited the BIA Southwest Regional Office and toured the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute. He met with SIPI President Tamarah Pfeiffer for a roundtable discussion on curriculum development and campus priorities and was hosted for lunch by students in the school’s Culinary Arts Program. Kirkland also toured academic facilities, student dormitories and other campus buildings, and expressed appreciation for the Institute’s Culinary Arts and Optometry programs for preparing students to enter the workforce with practical experience, and the skills needed to compete for high-demand, high-wage careers that strengthen tribal and local economies.

In Arizona, Kirkland met with members of the 25th Navajo Nation Council, alongside Bureau of Indian Education Director Tony Dearman and BIA Navajo Region Director Deborah Shirley. Discussions centered on coordination between the BIE and the U.S. Department of Education, particularly given that the Navajo Nation has the largest population of tribally controlled and BIE-funded schools across Indian Country. Kirkland also met with Navajo Nation Enrollment Office Director Ron Duncan to discuss potential collaboration on probate efforts within the Eastern Agency.

Kirkland also met with President Martin Harvier and the tribal council of the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community to discuss public safety and law enforcement, self-governance and probate matters. He recognized the community as a model for tribal self-governance.

At the San Carlos Apache Tribe, Kirkland met with Vice Chairman Tao Etpison and Councilwoman Ina Salter. He conducted a ride-along with Chief Elliot Sneezy of the San Carlos Police Department to observe public safety conditions and toured the tribal detention and dispatch centers.

In remarks at Arizona State University’s Wiring the Rez conference, Assistant Secretary Kirkland emphasized the critical role of broadband and digital infrastructure in driving economic development in rural tribal communities. He highlighted the Trump administration’s efforts to reduce bureaucratic barriers, address delays, and work directly with tribes and industry leaders to ensure opportunities, including those in emerging technologies like AI, are not missed. He also underscored the importance of digital sovereignty, protecting tribal interests, expanding access to larger markets, and supporting tribes as they preserve culture while embracing innovation.

The trip concluded with a meeting with Governor Stephen Lewis of the Gila River Indian Community on land appraisals by the BIA. Their discussion also highlighted the success of the 105(l) leasing program, which provides tribes with resources to buy, build or rent facilities to deliver essential programs and services, and Secretary Doug Burgum’s initiative to reduce the probate backlog.

Kirkland’s visits to New Mexico and Arizona underscored the department’s commitment to strengthening government-to-government relationships and advancing tribal self-determination through education, public safety and self-governance initiatives.