First Nations Journal

Cabinet member appointees’ staff, which includes employees of Secretary of Interior Doug Burgum’s are reportedly fearful of giving advice their superiors may not want to hear.  Case in point is the illegal President Trump executive order in February 2025, eliminating employees that violated Indian treaty education obligations at Haskell Indian Nations University (HINU) and other Indian colleges and universities.  Gratefully, the public donors to the Haskell Foundation staved off hardships for Haskell employees and students.  Secretary Burgum’s silence to the president’s executive order in February 2025 is a perception of conflict-of-interest and not wanting to dispute President Trump.  Secretary Burgum, trustee failed to protect the Indian ward beneficiaries in violation of the Morton v Ruiz (1974) decision.    

State Dept. ‘not functioning’ as staffers get sidelined for warning Trump is breaking law

The Morton v Ruiz (1974) decision and reasoning is the underpinning of the proposed Haskell Indian Nations University Improvement Act, and the legislation must be approved by the Congress.    The HINU Improvement Act proposed legislation cites the misconduct of Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) negligence in fulfilling treaty trust responsibility at Haskell. Passage of the HINU Improvement Act will require treaty-based appropriations to fulfill the trust responsibility to Haskell beneficiaries.  The federal appropriations to overcome deferred maintenance, and decades of underfunding of Haskell suggests $50 million federal appropriations is critical for the Act to achieve the ‘crown jewel goal envisioned by Representative Tracey Mann (R-KAN). Federal agency reports and congressional committees cite the chronic underfunding of Haskell. 

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) officials have turned a “blind eye to misconduct that has been detrimental to Haskell students” Rep Tracey Mann (R-KAN).  Secretary of Interior Burgum is the ultimate fiduciary trustee governing conduct at Haskell. The BIA, BIE officials and employees are accountable to Secretary Burgum.  The panoply of laws and regulations applicable to the governance of Haskell is listed below:    

• Cherokee Nation v. Georgia (1831) – The Court held that tribes are “domestic dependent nations.” Because of this status, the Cherokee Nation lacked standing to sue the State of Georgia in the Supreme Court.  John Marshall described the federal–tribal relationship as resembling that of a ward to its guardian, laying groundwork for the trust doctrine.

• Morton v. Ruiz (1974) – The Supreme Court held that the federal government cannot deny services to eligible Native people based on unpublished, internal, or ad‑hoc rules.  Agencies like the BIA must use clear, public, properly adopted regulations when administering programs.  This was not the case with Trump’s Executive Order eliminating employees at Haskell.

• Cobell v. Salazar (2009) – The Cobell case held that the United States breached its fiduciary duty by failing to provide the accurate trust accounting required by law, but the courts limited the remedies available, ultimately leading to a negotiated settlement.

Haskell Indian Nations University is a beacon of Indian education and impacts all 574 federally recognized Indian nations including Alaska Indian beneficiaries.  The two proposed legislations Haskell Indian Nations University Improvement Act, Indian Boarding School Policies Act (S.761) should be treated as a national matter by the Congress.  Meaningful consultation with Indian tribes and Indian beneficiaries is a matter of law and policy in the conduct of Indian affairs.  First Nations Journal and other Indian organizations are available for consultation, collaboration and input. 

First Natios Journal commends the Franciscan Sisters of Adoration for their act of giving back land to the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and for the Franciscan Sisters for their support of the passage of the Indian Boarding School Policies Act (S.761) by the Congress.  Sister Sue Ernster, president, said the nuns hope the land transfer can be a model for future Catholic efforts.   

‘Our land to begin with’: Catholic nuns’ return of land breaks new ground

The 250th anniversary of America and celebration is upon us and the original people of the land that became America should be consulted.

                                                           Happy Birthday America 🪶                              

                                                                First Nations Journal

M’gwitch, 🪶

Steve Cadue

Kickapoo Nation Kansas