Wednesday, March 5, 2025

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President Donald Trump, in his more than one hour and a half speech to Congress Tuesday night, touted his executive actions since taking office six weeks ago, and said, “we’re just getting started.”

Among actions he mentioned were the federal hiring freeze, creating the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) “headed” by Elon Musk, and renaming Denali to Mt. McKinley in Alaska.

Since taking office in January, tribal leaders from across the country have been raising concerns about the administration’s actions.

The hiring freeze and the mass firing of government employees with the help of DOGE has tribal leaders worried about essential services in tribal communities, saying there could be devastating impacts, including to health care, education, and public safety.

Last week, tribal leaders from across the country and leaders of Native organizations testified during three days of hearings in Washington, on American Indian and Alaska Native programs in a subcommittee in the House Committee on Appropriations.

Marc Macarro, president of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), released a written statement to the subcommittee.

“The Trump administration’s early actions have generated confusion, fear, and real consequences throughout Indian Country.”

Tribal leaders who testified urged for exemptions for tribes from President Trump’s orders, and for the federal government to uphold trust and treaty obligation.

According to the Subcommittee of Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, there were an unprecedented number of requests by leaders to participate in the hearings, which needed a third day to accommodate around 100 tribes and tribal organizations.

The action changing Denali to Mt. McKinley prompted the Alaska State Legislature to urge the administration and the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to maintain the name Denali. And U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) introduced a bill that would officially designate the mountain as Denali, its Koyukon Athabascan name.

During his address when talking about the war in Ukraine, Trump referred to U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) as “Pocahontas,” which he has used as a jab at her.

Tribes and Native groups have condemned Trump’s use of the name, including NCAI, which said in a 2017 statement that “the name of Pocahontas should not be used as a slur, and it is inappropriate for anyone to use her name in a disparaging manner.”

Native women’s advocates say it hurts the image of Native American women, adding the name is used by some as a stereotype for sexualizing them, pointing to Native women facing high rates of sexual violence and assaults in the U.S.

A bill in the New Mexico Legislature seeks to help address missing Native Americans in the state with a new alert system.

According to the New Mexico Department of Justice, Native people account for 16% of missing persons in the state.

Reporter Jeanette DeDios has more.

Senate Bill 41 passed the Senate unanimously Saturday and would amend the Missing Person Information and Reporting Act to include a Turquoise Alert for Native Americans who are enrolled in a federally recognized tribe and go missing.

An alert would go out immediately across the state without having to wait the standard 48 hours for a missing person.

The bill is sponsored by State Sen. Angel Charley (Laguna and Diné/D-NM). State Rep. Michelle Paulene Abeyta (Diné/D-NM) from To’hajile is a co-sponsor.

She says in her large rural district, it can take law enforcement a long time to respond to emergencies.

“And I’m not talking a few hours, I’m talking days. And when someone goes missing or someone’s endangered, we need these alerts to go out right away.”

The bill passed with an amendment that refines the criteria for issuing an alert to high-risk cases. It’s now in the House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee.

The bill would require the Department of Public Safety to develop a plan for getting alerts out to law enforcement and the public.

This bill does not include a direct appropriation, but a fiscal analysis states there may be recurring costs for state agencies to implement the alert system.

At least three other states including, Washington, California, and Colorado have passed similar legislation in recent years.

 

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