Native Issues
Legal Challenge
Mar 10, 2025

Native American tribes, students sue over Bureau of Indian Education firings


March 10, 2025

Three Native American tribes and five students have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, accusing it of violating its obligations to tribes by cutting jobs at Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) schools. The suit claims that layoffs at Haskell Indian Nations University and Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute led to unsafe conditions, canceled classes, delayed financial aid, and staff shortages. The tribes allege that they were not consulted prior to the cuts, which affected security, maintenance, and educational staff. The case is being heard in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

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