Promises Made, Promises Kept

The Trump administration and Secretary Burgum are committed to protecting tribal sovereignty and self-governance, improving efficiency, and working with tribes to reduce the bureaucracy they often experience with the federal government.

• The Trump administration affirmed its commitment to tribal sovereignty by adding the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina to the official list of federally recognized tribes, acknowledging a long and well-documented history of tribal governance. This action reflects our responsibility to listen to tribes, honor commitments and support strong tribal governments

• The Department of the Interior and the Alaska Department of Health announced a new agreement that strengthens coordination to support timely and accurate probate services for Alaska Native communities. Interior is working hard to make a measurable improvement to the longstanding probate backlog so American Indian and Alaska Native families can receive the property that rightfully belongs to them.

• Indian Affairs has cut red tape and sped up the process for approving tribal broadband infrastructure projects as part of Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum’s commitment to streamlining support for tribal initiatives, from infrastructure to energy development. 

• In response to President Trump’s Executive Order 14191 - Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunity for Families, the Bureau of Indian Education is expanding educational opportunities while respecting tribal authority and strengthening local decision-making.

• The Bureau of Indian Education has reached its highest graduation rates in its history, up nearly 55 percent compared to the Obama administration, reflecting President Trump’s commitment to sustained reforms, accountability, workforce readiness and ensuring American Indian and Alaska Native students have access to high-quality education.

• Investments in higher education under the Trump administration have advanced real results: greater student access, stronger local control, and programs that prepare graduates to contribute to their communities and the national workforce.

• Workforce development is a core outcome of BIE’s mission, preparing Native students with the skills, credentials, and experience needed to succeed in teaching, skilled trades, technology, and leadership roles across Indian Country.

• The Bureau of Indian Affairs launched Operation Spirit Return, an initiative to help solve missing and unidentified person cases involving American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States.

• The BIA also partnered with the Department of Justice for Operation Not Forgotten to surge resources to Indian Country to investigate unresolved violent crimes.

• The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service transferred 680 acres of land to the Bureau of Indian Affairs to be held in trust for the Spirit Lake Nation in Benson County, North Dakota, reflecting the administration’s commitment to strengthening tribal sovereignty, promoting economic opportunities, and enhancing the quality of life for Indigenous people.

• The Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Division of Wildland Fire Management and the Bureau of Indian Education are strengthening workforce development and preparing the next generation of wildland fire professionals through the Native Youth Firefighter Training Program. As a school-to-career pathway, this initiative equips high school and post-secondary students with essential firefighting skills via virtual training, mentorship, and resources.

• The Bureau of Trust Funds Administration achieved significant progress in modernizing beneficiary services, launching a research pilot to design a new digital payment solution aligned with President Trump’s Executive Order 14247 - Modernizing Payments to and from America's Bank Account. Eliminating paper checks and modernizing disbursement methods will improve service delivery for 1.9 million beneficiaries and address needs in unbanked and underbanked communities.