The Daily Spark

Federal grants supporting homeless services in North Dakota have been renewed, according to the North Dakota Monitor. Erin Prochnow, CEO of the YWCA that serves Cass County, credited Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., with helping to ensure that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funding was extended after uncertainty about expirations in 2026. North Dakota agencies received $3.3 million in federal grants last year to assist people experiencing homelessness.

The funding supports about 1,600 beds statewide, including at the YWCA and Fraser Ltd. in Fargo, the Abused Adult Resource Center in Bismarck, the Grand Forks Housing Authority and the Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis Center in Dickinson, according to the North Dakota Monitor. Prochnow said about 36% of families in the YWCA’s supportive housing program are Native American. Hoeven said the grants are secured for this year and he is working with HUD Secretary Scott Turner to provide more certainty in the future.

Sitting Bull College will host a Career Fair from 1 to 3 p.m. CST on Thursday, April 2, at the SBC Science & Technology Building, 9299 Highway 24, Fort Yates, North Dakota, according to event materials. The fair will take place in Rooms 101 and 120.

Organizers are inviting employers to reserve free tables and booths to connect with students who are graduating and seeking employment. Stephanie Rusher is listed as the contact for the event (701-854-8041, stephanie.rusher@sittingbull.edu). Event materials state that space is limited and ask participating organizations to confirm attendance, indicate how many tables are needed and provide the names of representatives who plan to attend.

The Indigenous Freedom Movement will host a community meeting at 6 p.m. Feb. 23 at the Indigenous Association Building, 702 1st Ave. N., Fargo, North Dakota, according to event materials. The gathering is open to young Native Americans and non-Indigenous allies.

Organizers said Pancheros will cater the event and a Zoom link will be available for those who cannot attend in person. The meeting is described as an opportunity to focus on unity, sovereignty and action and to encourage Native leadership and political engagement. The event materials state the gathering centers on “truth, sovereignty, unity” and “power.”

North Dakota Native Vote said it is closely monitoring the SAVE Act, which would require American citizens to provide documentary proof of citizenship such as a birth certificate, passport or identification that clearly indicates place of birth, according to a statement released Feb. 12. The organization said the bill passed the U.S. House and has not yet passed the Senate.

In the statement, North Dakota Native Vote said the requirement raises concerns for Native communities because most tribal IDs do not list birthplace and some tribal members may face barriers accessing official certificates. The group said there are “many reasons that this bill disenfranchises our communities and dampens our voices” and encouraged people to contact their senators and speak with tribal communities about the legislation. The statement was signed by Kendyl Harrison, deputy director of North Dakota Native Vote.

New Mexico lawmakers have approved a measure directing the state Indian Affairs Department and the Commission on the Status of Women to examine the history, scope and continuing impact of forced and coerced sterilizations of women of color by the Indian Health Service and other providers, according to The Associated Press. The findings are due to the governor by the end of 2027.

According to The Associated Press, in the 1970s the federal agency that provides health care to Native Americans sterilized thousands of women without their full and informed consent. A 1976 U.S. Government Accountability Office report found the Indian Health Service sterilized 3,406 women in four of its 12 service areas between 1973 and 1976. “It’s important for New Mexico to understand the atrocities that took place within the borders of our state,” state Sen. Linda Lopez, a sponsor of the legislation, was quoted as saying.

U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., met with Osage Nation and Osage County leaders in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, during an in-state work period, according to a press release by Mullin’s office. Attendees included Osage Nation Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear, Osage County Sheriff Bart Perrier, Pawhuska Mayor Steve Tolson, Pawhuska City Manager Carol Jones, Barnsdall Mayor Johnny Kelley and members of the Pawhuska Chamber of Commerce. Mullin discussed widening growth opportunities and strengthening tribal partnerships and answered questions on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Department of Education and the future of Oklahoma’s beef industry.

“Tribal sovereignty, economic self-determination, and strong local governance make a big difference,” Mullin was quoted as saying. Standing Bear was quoted as saying that Mullin “has consistently proven to be a strong advocate for tribal sovereignty.” Mullin is visiting several Oklahoma communities this week to share federal updates and take questions from residents and local officials, according to the press release.

Lawmakers in Maine are again considering legislation aimed at restoring more sovereignty to the Wabanaki Nations, according to reporting by Maine Morning Star. Two bills are scheduled for public hearings in Augusta: one that would implement remaining recommendations from a 2019 task force on the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act and one that would restore the Wabanaki Nations’ access to beneficial federal laws. Both measures are sponsored by Sen. Rachel Talbot Ross, D-Cumberland.

The Penobscot Nation, Passamaquoddy Tribe, Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians and Mi’kmaq Nation are treated differently than other federally recognized tribes under the 1980 settlement act. Gov. Janet Mills has rejected broader changes to the law, though she has approved narrower updates, including expanding tribal authority over sports betting and internet gaming. One of the bills set for public hearings would allow the Wabanaki Nations to benefit from federal laws unless expressly excluded, reversing the current framework established under the settlement act.

A $1.1 million state-funded report on Michigan’s tribal boarding schools was completed in September but not released to the public or the Legislature, according to reporting by Bridge Michigan. The 300-page report, prepared by Kauffman and Associates for the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, included recommendations such as a gubernatorial apology for the state’s role in Native American boarding schools and eliminating the statute of limitations for physical and sexual assault on minors. A 16-page summary presented to lawmakers omitted those recommendations.

A House appropriations subcommittee has scheduled a Feb. 27 hearing on why the report was shelved, Bridge Michigan reported. State Rep. Tom Kuhn, R-Troy, said the department declined to testify, citing potential litigation with Kauffman. The report documents abuse at boarding schools, including the Mount Pleasant Indian Industrial Boarding School, where the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan documented 229 student deaths between 1893 and 1934.

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has opened a Title VI investigation into Portland Public Schools in Portland, Oregon, over its Center for Black Student Excellence, according to a Feb. 17 announcement by the department. The investigation follows a complaint alleging the district discriminates on the basis of race in violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. According to the complaint, a recent $1.2 billion bond includes tens of millions of dollars for academic interventions, wraparound support, facilities and family programs exclusively for Black students, despite district data showing other student groups face similar or greater challenges.

According to 2021-2022 district data cited in the announcement, 17% of Black students met third-grade reading proficiency levels, compared to 17.6% of Native American students and 16.7% of Pacific Islander students. Graduation rates during that period were 79.4% for Black students, 61.5% for Native American students and 73.7% for Latinx students. The district’s school board rejected a proposal to allocate $40 million to a Native Student Success Center. Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey said in a statement that OCR is committed to enforcing Title VI, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin in programs receiving federal funding.

Indigenous Youth Voices has announced that it will hold its annual Mountains & Medicine Snowboarding Trip March 4–7 in Jackson, Wyoming, and Teton Valley, Idaho. The leadership-centered program is open to Indigenous youth ages 14–28 and includes lodging, meals, gear and scheduled activities at no cost, according to event materials.

The itinerary includes snowboarding with Indigenous instructors and mentors, a Youth Climate Futures Summit, cultural programming, storytelling circles and land stewardship education. Participants will also attend a public Climate Futures event and visit Astoria Park Hot Springs. Organizers state that space is limited and participants will be selected based on readiness and willingness to engage. Submission of the registration form serves as both registration and waiver, with adults consenting for themselves and parents or guardians consenting for minors.

Update: they have been found safe.

The Bismarck Police Department is searching for three siblings who have been missing since Feb. 15. A dispatch officer told Buffalo’s Fire that 12-year-old Nora Horned Eagle, 13-year-old Lyda Horned Eagle and 14-year-old Bella Horned Eagle were last seen by their father at the Bismarck Public Library. The siblings are Indigenous, but the officer did not know their tribal affiliation. Anyone with information can contact the Bismarck Police Department at 701-223-1212.

The three siblings reported missing from the Bismarck area have been found safe, according to the Bismarck Police Department.

Twelve-year-old Nora Horned Eagle, 13-year-old Lyda Horned Eagle and 14-year-old Bella Horned Eagle had been missing since Feb. 15. They were last seen at the Bismarck Public Library. Authorities confirmed they have been located and are safe.

Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., along with Reps. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., Rick Larsen, D-Wash., and Teresa Leger Fernandez, D-N.M., introduced the Tribal Warrant Fairness Act, according to a press release. The legislation would grant the United States Marshals Service authority to execute arrest warrants on behalf of tribal law enforcement and assist in searching for missing children. “By improving coordination and strengthening the partnership between USMS and Tribal law enforcement, the Tribal Warrant Fairness Act will make Native American communities safer and ultimately bring more criminals to justice,” Cole was quoted as saying.

According to the release, the 2023 Not Invisible Act Commission found federal law limits the ability of the United States Marshals Service to assist with tribal warrants. The bill would allow the agency to execute tribal felony arrest warrants, assist in searches for missing children and permit tribal participation in Fugitive Apprehension Task Forces. A Senate version was introduced by Sens. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., and Catherine Cortez-Masto, D-Nev., according to the release.

Five Native American men held in maximum security at Rhode Island’s Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston have filed a federal lawsuit alleging prison officials denied their ability to practice their religion, according to Rhode Island Current. The 38-page complaint was filed Feb. 11 in the U.S. District Court in Providence on behalf of Jaquontee Reels, Anthony Moore, Louis Seignious, Craig Robinson and Wallace Cable. The plaintiffs, represented by the ACLU of Rhode Island and the Roger Williams University School of Law Prisoners’ Rights Litigation Clinic, are seeking permission to hold pipe ceremonies, sweat lodge ceremonies, smudging ceremonies, drum circles and powwows.

“Again and again, Plaintiffs have asked RIDOC officials for permission to obtain Native American religious items, engage in Native American ceremonies, and obtain guidance from a Native American elder, but Defendants have turned away all of those requests,” the complaint states. The complaint also states that the Department of Corrections has not adopted policies required under a 2025 settlement addressing religious accommodations.

The federal government is encouraging tribes to partner with data centers through land leases or energy sales, according to the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration of public media stations that includes Wyoming Public Radio. At a Feb. 12 U.S. Department of Energy webinar titled “Beyond Land Leases: Harnessing Data Centers for Tribal Economic Development,” Ken Ahmann, chief operating officer of Colusa Indian Energy, said such projects could inject “potentially billions of dollars into the coffers of tribes.” Elisah VandenBussche of the department’s Indian Energy Policy and Programs Office said the administration is offering financial and technical assistance to tribes interested in partnerships.

Supporters say developers can help tribes build energy infrastructure and expand internet access. Paul Bemore, chair of the Osage Nation utility authority board, told the Mountain West News Bureau that data centers could help tribes diversify their economies and strengthen data sovereignty. Some tribal members have raised concerns about environmental impacts and sovereignty, including potential strain on water supplies, according to the news bureau.

The ND250 Commission has awarded the Turtle Mountain Tribe a $9,000 grant for a historical exhibit, according to the Dakota News Network. The funding will support an exhibit interpreting treaty making, land negotiations, federal policy and cultural traditions. The grant is part of a broader effort tied to the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

The ND250 Commission has awarded 15 grants totaling more than $90,000, according to the Dakota News Network. Additional grants were issued for projects in Bismarck, Mandan, Dickinson, Fargo, Beach, Grand Forks and Jamestown. Grant applications remain open through April 1.

Tribal leaders and federal lawmakers are advancing legislation to continue the work of the Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children, according to Indianz.com. The commission, established by Congress, studied how the federal government can better support American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian children. “We gathered baseline data on topics including juvenile justice, socioeconomic issues, mental health, suicide, infant and child mortality, child welfare, substance use, ACEs or adverse childhood experiences, educational achievement, physical health, and we held hearings both in-person and during COVID virtually,” commission member Anita Fineday was quoted as telling the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on Jan. 28.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, chair of the committee, is supporting the draft Native Children’s Commission Implementation Act. “It’s one thing to get the report and see action items,” Murkowski said at a Capitol Hill event. “It’s another thing to move it forward.” Karen Guise of the National Congress of American Indians Youth Commission said, “This bill is different because it is the bridge from recommendations to reality,” according to Indianz.Com.

FBI Director Kash Patel traveled to southern Arizona this week to meet with law enforcement partners from the Pascua Yaqui and Tohono O’odham nations, according to KGUN 9. Afterward he posted on X about the meetings, calling the nations “key partners of ours in the fight against violent crime all across the country.” He highlighted the April 2025 launch of “Operation Not Forgotten,” an interagency surge designed to deliver more investigative resources to tribal lands and said the effort aims to change vulnerabilities to drug trafficking, cartels and other violent crime.

According to KGUN 9, the Justice Department’s Operation Not Forgotten has deployed rotating teams of FBI personnel to support field offices across the country, surging 60 FBI staff into 10 field offices to assist unresolved violent-crime investigations in Indian Country. At the start of fiscal 2025, the FBI’s Indian Country program had roughly 4,300 open investigations, including hundreds involving deaths, child abuse and sexual violence. Officials said tribal and federal partners will continue coordinating on investigations, training and technology sharing.

Legislation to investigate the history of Indian boarding schools has been reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, according to Gaylord News, an outlet affiliated with the University of Oklahoma Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communications. Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., and Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kan., are the lead sponsors of the “Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act of 2026.” The bill would establish a commission to examine past federal actions that forcibly enrolled nearly 86% of Indigenous school-age children in boarding schools, according to Cole. The legislation was referred this month to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce and the Committee on Natural Resources.

“For years, Indian boarding schools forcibly removed Native children from their families, stripped them of their heritage, and, in many cases, took their lives,” Cole was quoted as saying. The proposed commission would have six years to locate and identify marked and unmarked burial sites and would be granted subpoena power under the new bill. The legislation calls for possible $90 million in funding to hold convenings across all 12 Bureau of Indian Affairs regions and to access an estimated 100 million pages of documents, according to Gaylord News.