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Native Issues

Reporting on the issues that shape Native life — from tribal sovereignty and education to healthcare, housing and economic development.

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Poll watchers in Indian Country observe steady and calm midterm election

The Native American Rights Fund’s crew of volunteers serve to protect Native American voters and keep integrity in elections. Here’s what they saw on Election Day

By Shaun Griswold

Northern Cheyenne

Northern Cheyenne power struggle continues: Gene Small handed lifeline as tribal court calls his removal as president unconstitutional

By Shaun Griswold

Tribal chairs tell RFK Jr. they need federal resources to improve their own healthcare

Jacob Orledge, North Dakota Monitor

Senate permitting reform passes first test

By Shaun Griswold

Northern Cheyenne

Northern Cheyenne power struggle continues: Gene Small handed lifeline as tribal court calls his removal as president unconstitutional

Elected council seeks yet another avenue to oust Small

By Shaun Griswold

Tribal chairs tell RFK Jr. they need federal resources to improve their own healthcare

During Robert F Kennedy Jr’s visit to North Dakota, Spirit Lake Nation linked health needs to housing and workforce gaps

Jacob Orledge, North Dakota Monitor

Senate permitting reform passes first test

BAAJA bill moves to full debate as tribal leaders express disappointment

By Shaun Griswold

ShineThe Shine series explores limitations and solutions to government transparency in Indian Country.

Sovereignty

New bill slashes tribes’ role in projects that impact ancestral sites, water and wildlife

Anna V. Smith, High Country News

Northern Cheyenne Tribe

‘Dirty and disgusting’: Northern Cheyenne leaders say they find damage, mess after entering headquarters with help of federal agents

By Shaun Griswold

Tribal leaders warned border wall construction would disturb Native American remains. They were right

Ryan Devereaux, ProPublica

Northern Cheyenne

Northern Cheyenne political standoff escalates with trespassing notice for ousted president Gene Small

By Shaun Griswold

Tribal Elections

MHA Nation certifies election results, swears in Darwin David Williams as chairman

By Shaun Griswold

National Congress of American Indians

NCAI leaders share concern over permitting bill that could override tribal sovereignty

By Shaun Griswold

Other stories in Sovereignty

Education

Broadview, Montana

Tribes and tech

Reservations refuse data center developments, but some worry they’re missing out on opportunities

By Bret Anne Serbin

South Dakota universities’ Native American enrollment rises to pre-pandemic level

Makenzie Huber, South Dakota Searchlight

Tribal Education

Cutting tribal college funding a threat to learning culture, self-determination, graduates say

Mary Steurer, North Dakota Monitor

Native administrators rail against Trump’s proposed elimination of funds for TCUs

Legislators plan to learn about Native American health care, emergency services, disability care

Makenzie Huber, South Dakota Searchlight

AIHEC conference honors TCU students with awards for art, sports, academics

By Gabrielle Nelson

Other stories in Education

Land & Water

Natural Disasters

White House approves disaster relief for tribal communities hit by New Mexico floods

By Shaun Griswold

83rd Annual NCAI convention

National Congress of American Indians

Tohono O’odham chairman on sacred site destruction: ‘If this can happen to us, it can happen to each and every one of you out there’

By Shaun Griswold

Beartooth Mountain Range, Montana

Natives in Montana weigh in on Roadless Rule repeal as public deadline approaches

By Bret Anne Serbin

Fort Peck Tribes ban discussions with data center developers

Nora Mabie, Montana Free Press

The Klamath Tribes couldn’t get federal dollars for salmon. Then the Yurok stepped in

B. 'Toastie' Oaster, High Country News

All nine South Dakota tribes back effort to develop Black Hills land-return legislation

Other stories in Land & Water

Oil & Gas

The Signal Peak Mine, located in the Bull Mountains west of Billings, is Montana’s only underground coal mine

Federal Government

Crow Tribe coal swap clears Senate committee

Tom Lutey, Montana Free Press

Energy Development

MHA Nation charts path to self-sufficiency by leveraging natural gas, data centers

Jacob Orledge, North Dakota Monitor

For Ethan One Feather, safety and security at 150th commemoration of Little Bighorn battle is top priority

Report details wide disparity between Native American and white health in South Dakota

Makenzie Huber, South Dakota Searchlight

Greenpeace seeks new trial, claiming jury pool biased in case over Dakota Access Pipeline

Mary Steurer, North Dakota Monitor

Other stories in Oil & Gas

Safety & Justice

Midterm elections

Montana Republican congressional candidate ties Indian Country safety to immigration enforcement

By Bret Anne Serbin

Major Crimes Act

Funeral announced for father and son killed in Fort Berthold shooting

By Shaun Griswold

Oglala Sioux Tribe finance meeting of June 4, 2026

Oglala Sioux Tribe facing fairness questions over banishment law

Janie Ducheneaux

Tribal leaders call for urgent action on public safety crisis

On the Blackfeet Reservation, families learn to search for their own missing relatives

Nora Mabie and Lauren Miller, Montana Free Press

Safety & Justice

Federal agencies and tribe partner to clear Pine Ridge Reservation’s ballistics testing backlog

John Hult, North Dakota Monitor

Other stories in Safety & Justice

Murdered & Missing Indigenous Peoples

Joseph M. Marshall III

Sing for the Red Dress

Murder mysteries and Indigenous knowledge: The legacy of Sicangu Oglala Lakota author Joseph M. Marshall III

Chana Kaplan, Buffalo's Fire

Buffalo’s Fire built an interactive map to track missing Indigenous people, and we need community help

By Pier Paolo Bozzano

Indigenous violence survivors see fewer services after federal cuts

By Nada Hassanein

On national day of awareness, MMIP crisis takes center stage

LGBTQ+ and Two Spirit MMIP advocates push for inclusion

A year without answers: Renzo Bullhead’s family encourages those with information to come forward

Other stories in Murdered & Missing Indigenous Peoples

Health & Wellness

Survey finds Medicaid patients report more barriers during pregnancy

Auditor’s Office claws back $37.3M in wrongful billing targeting Montana’s Native communities

Keila Szpaller, Daily Montanan

Brandy Toft

A Superfund site in Minnesota is spreading, disrupting a tribe’s way of life

By Gabrielle Nelson

Other stories in Health & Wellness

Cultural Preservation

Amanda R.J. Cheromiah, the executive director of the Jim Thorpe Center for the Future of Native Peoples at Dickinson College

‘Where they belong’: Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes bring home the remains of three members

Lauren Miller & JoVonne Wagner, Montana Free Press

Reflecting on the cycle of life: Family photos transport mourners to a bygone era

By Jodi Rave Spotted Bear

Real Bird Reenactment on June 27, 2026

Bringing Little Bighorn to life

By Maria Hawkins

Roosevelt Drones

Conservation contradiction

Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library: The irony of this celebration 'could not be sharper’

By Grace Hansen

Black Hills uranium exploration permit hearing postponed to May

Meghan O'Brien, South Dakota Searchlight

Language Access

South Dakota governor signs Helen’s Law, requiring language translations in official state proceedings

By Darren Thompson

Other stories in Cultural Preservation

Housing

Affordable Housing

Little Shell housing project gets approval from Great Falls officials

Matt Hudson, Montana Free Press

Other stories in Housing

Economic Development

Economic Development

Harvard symposium to address voting, freedom of information in Indian Country

By Jodi Rave Spotted Bear

More than $21 million in federal money to support tribal highway and road projects

Minnesota’s first Indigenous-owned lab opens for business

By Darren Thompson

Experts discuss tribal sovereignty’s role in the growing hemp and cannabis industry

By Darren Thompson

Proposed agriculture funding bill impacts more than 80,000 Native producers

By Gabrielle Nelson

Other stories in Economic Development

Politics

Tribal Elections

Northern Cheyenne Tribe elects five council members after year of turmoil

By Shaun Griswold

Tribal Elections

‘Unprecedented moment’: Swearing-in ceremony for new MHA Nation Chairman Darwin D. Williams to be open to the public

By Shaun Griswold

Deb Haaland elected governor of New Mexico

By Shaun Griswold

Election Day: Indian Country awaits results

By the numbers: A historic year for Indigenous candidates

Pauly Denetclaw, ICT

On the campaign trail with Deb Haaland

By Shaun Griswold

Other stories in Politics

Press Freedom

National Congress of American Indians

NCAI adopts support for independent Native media and freedom of information

By Shaun Griswold

Tribal Transparency

How leaders of Native nations can look to their peers for guidance on transparency and accountability

By Bret Anne Serbin

Technology and AI discussion in Eagle Butte addresses need for community control of data, facts and information

By Jodi Rave Spotted Bear

Skipped elections, tossed ballots: How addressing press freedom gaps could fix voting access issues across Indian Country

By Shaun Griswold

Tribal Government Transparency

BIA expected to end yearlong 'noninterference' policy after court rules Chiefs’ Declaration void

By Jodi Rave Spotted Bear

Jodi Rave Spotted Bear and David Stoeffler

Buffalo’s Fire celebrates 10 years

By Jodi Rave Spotted Bear

Other stories in Press Freedom

Native Issues

Free photo IDs available at North Dakota tribal nations ahead of election

Michael Achterling, North Dakota Monitor

Northern Cheyenne

Gene Small tapes over surveillance cameras at Northern Cheyenne headquarters

By Shaun Griswold

Tribal Government

Northern Cheyenne Tribal Council wields its power after members return to office

By Shaun Griswold

Northern Cheyenne

Northern Cheyenne Tribal Council removes Gene Small as president: ‘He is now just a civilian’

By Shaun Griswold

Cattle fencing outside the Northern Cheyenne capitol

Contested government

‘Barnyard circus’: Northern Cheyenne leaders speak out a year after being ousted

By Bret Anne Serbin

Northern Cheyenne Tribal Building

Northern Cheyenne

Northern Cheyenne’s specially elected council has been governing ‘unlawfully,’ appellate court finds

By Bret Anne Serbin

Other stories in Native Issues