The Daily Spark

A recent letter from the U.S. Department of Education affirms that American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian history is not considered diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) or critical race theory (CRT), according to reporting by Inside Higher Ed. In the letter, Hayley B. Sanon, principal deputy assistant secretary and acting assistant secretary for the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, acknowledged the “unique political and legal relationship with federally recognized Indian Tribes.”

The letter was sent in April in response to concerns from the National Indian Education Association, which sought assurance that teaching Native history would not violate a Trump executive order aimed at eliminating “discriminatory equity ideology.” Twyla Baker, president of Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College, said she was hopeful but cautious. Tribal college leaders said they want to see policy and funding reflect the department’s message.

Students at the Quentin N. Burdick Job Corps Center in Minot, North Dakota, were informed that they must leave campus by Wednesday, June 4, according to a student who spoke with KMOT-TV. The student said campus leadership had gathered students in the cafeteria to deliver the message and noted that while staff are working to help students return home, limited time and funds may prevent some from reaching their final destinations.

The U.S. Department of Labor announced last week that all contractor-operated Job Corps centers nationwide will be paused by June 30 due to a $140 million deficit and safety concerns. Burdick Job Corps staff said Friday they were still waiting on guidance from contractors and could not confirm the June 4 deadline as of Monday. North Dakota Democratic-NPL Chair Adam Goldwyn called the nationwide pause “unconscionable” and urged the state’s congressional delegation to intervene.

Indigenous students at the University of Arizona are protesting changes to Native American Student Affairs, including the firing of its director and a shift in the office's structure. According to AZCentral, about 30 Native students from different tribes sent a letter on May 25 to university leaders and the Arizona Board of Regents, calling the changes a “betrayal” of the university’s commitment to Native students.

Two days later, the university announced the student affairs program would move under the Office of Native American Initiatives. On May 27, director Julian Juan was fired. In an Instagram video, Juan said he was dismissed after asking an administrator to leave a student event in April for safety reasons. A university spokesperson told The Arizona Republic that the changes are intended to “increase collaboration and strengthen support for Native students.”

On Saturday, May 31, community members gathered under the Memorial Bridge in Bismarck for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Awareness Walk. The event began with a prayer, followed by a walk led by Roxy Leaf, the mother of Renzo Bullhead, who has been missing since March. Speakers included MMIW survivor Melanie Angel and Vicki Alberts, public information officer for the Bullhead family and Spirit Lake’s public relations specialist and law clerk. Alberts acknowledged Roxy Leaf and Delaine Blue Thunder for their unwavering efforts in searching for their son. Blue Thunder also spoke, thanking everyone for coming and saying they would never stop searching for Renzo despite the hardship.

After the walk, attendees shared a feed at Native Inc. Organizers welcomed everyone to honor missing and murdered Indigenous relatives and support affected families.

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte signed a bill on May 12 to resolve a decades-long law enforcement dispute between Lake County, the state and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT). The legislation provides $6 million from the state’s General Fund to reimburse Lake County and the CSKT for law enforcement services on the Flathead Reservation, according to Montana Free Press. A Gianforte spokesperson said the bill is “a step in the right direction to finding a long-term resolution.”

The law aims to encourage cooperation and ends a conflict rooted in jurisdictional questions dating back to the 1950s. In April, Montana state Rep. Shelly Fyant, a CSKT citizen, called it “a solution that works for everyone.”

The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe has asked the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to review a federal judge’s March decision to dismiss its latest lawsuit against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers over the Dakota Access Pipeline. The tribe argues the pipeline lacks a valid easement to cross under Lake Oahe on the Missouri River and alleges multiple regulatory violations by the Corps, according to reporting by North Dakota Monitor.

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg dismissed the suit, saying courts cannot intervene until the Army Corps completes its environmental impact study, which has remained unfinished since 2017. Standing Rock Chairwoman Janet Alkire said the tribe does not trust the Corps to properly evaluate the pipeline and will continue legal efforts to protect their water and people. The tribe also criticized a recent jury verdict holding Greenpeace liable for damages related to protests against the pipeline.

The Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, Spirit Lake Nation and three tribal citizens have asked the full 8th Circuit Court of Appeals to rehear a case that found they lack standing to sue North Dakota over alleged voting discrimination. A three-judge panel ruled earlier this month that private individuals cannot bring cases under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which bans race-based voting discrimination. The panel sent the case back to U.S. District Judge Peter Welte with instructions to dismiss it. The tribes argue in their brief that the ruling denies citizens in the 8th Circuit the right to enforce Section 2 protections, unlike other circuits where private suits are allowed. The 2021 state redistricting plan challenged by the tribes was previously ruled discriminatory by Welte, according to North Dakota Monitor. The North Dakota Secretary of State’s Office says that if the 2021 map is reinstated, three state lawmakers would relocate to different districts.

A former coal mine near Beulah, North Dakota, will be converted into a nickel processing facility, pending regulatory approval, according to a report by the North Dakota Monitor. Talon Metals announced Wednesday that it plans to process ore from a mine near Tamarack, Minnesota, at the new Beulah Minerals Processing Facility starting in 2028. The project is expected to bring 150 jobs to the area.

Talon Metals President Mike Kicis said Tesla has contracted to buy about half of the processed nickel, and the Department of Defense is another potential customer. The $365 million project is supported by a nearly $115 million Department of Energy grant announced in 2022. While welcomed by local leaders, the project faces opposition from some Native American and environmental groups in Minnesota concerned about potential pollution, according to the North Dakota Monitor.

Colorful pageantry, high-speed competition and deeply rooted traditions will energize North Dakota this summer. The Mandan Hidatsa Arikara Indian Horse Relay will return to the North Dakota State Fair in Minot on July 22. The breathtakingly fast-paced event features Native athletes racing bareback across three horses, supported by a mugger and two horse holders in thrilling, coordinated mid-race exchanges.

Throughout the state, powwows will joyfully celebrate Native culture with competitive dancing, powerful drum circles, traditional foods and handcrafted Native art. The Fort Totten Days Celebration, Mandaree Powwow, Arikara Celebration and the prestigious United Tribes International Powwow in Bismarck are among several events planned.

For more information and a full schedule, visit the North Dakota Tourism Division at ndtourism.com.

The Spirit Lake Nation and Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa asked the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals to reconsider a ruling that said voters cannot sue under the Voting Rights Act for racial discrimination, according to the Jamestown Sun. The Campaign Legal Center, which represents the tribes, said the court’s earlier decision reversed a 2023 ruling that found North Dakota’s redistricting diluted Native American votes.

The Legislature’s 2021 map placed the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation in District 9 and Spirit Lake Nation in District 15. Plaintiffs argued this split Native votes, giving white voters disproportionate power. “We went to court because the map the state passed made it harder for Native voters like me to have a real voice,” said Turtle Mountain voter Wes Davis, as reported by the Jamestown Sun. If the current ruling stands, only the U.S. Department of Justice can bring Voting Rights Act lawsuits in the Eighth Circuit.

Prima Exploration Inc. filed suit May 23 in North Dakota federal court against the U.S. Department of the Interior, claiming it was wrongly told it never held legal interest in a 320-acre oil and gas lease on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. According to the complaint, Prima said the Interior Board of Indian Appeals’ April 23 decision disregards BIA-approved lease assignments dating back to 1999 and a 60-year history of recognized ownership.

Prima is seeking judicial review under the Administrative Procedure Act, arguing the BIA unlawfully terminated lease portions in 2013 and 2015 and reassigned the land to competitors PetroShale and Enerplus. A DOI representative declined to comment.

The Spirit Lake Tribal Council launched an emergency water distribution plan May 28 following the detection of elevated manganese levels in the water system, according to a public notice issued May 27. All residents of the Spirit Lake Reservation are affected, and bottled water will be distributed through June 11.

Each household is eligible to receive one case of water per two people after submitting a request form. Distribution sites include recreation centers in the Mission, Fort Totten, Woodlake and Crow Hill districts. Priority will be given to families with infants, elders and residents with medical conditions. A temporary water filtration system is expected within 14 days. According to the Tribal Council, the Office of Environmental Health will test water safety at all distribution sites. Community members needing transportation assistance may contact local emergency and public health officials listed in the notice.

Montana lawmakers passed several new laws aimed at addressing the state’s disproportionately high number of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Native Americans make up 6.5% of the state’s population but account for 24% of active missing persons reports, according to the Montana Department of Justice.

Among the measures, House Bill 83 allows the state’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Advisory Council to receive donations and other funding, effective July 1. The council also received a $20,000 allocation in the state’s budget. House Bill 545 renames the group, removing “task force” from its title to reflect its advisory role. Senate Bill 107 requires the Montana Office of Public Instruction to create a curriculum on human trafficking prevention. House Joint Resolution 1 urges Congress to fully fund tribal law enforcement, though the governor has not confirmed whether he will send the requested letter according to Montana Free Press.

Indigenous leaders at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues emphasized the critical importance of free, prior and informed consent, or FPIC, in protecting tribal rights. Forum Chair Aluki Kotierk (Inuit) called for development “on our terms” and urged embedding Indigenous rights at the center of policy. Albert Barume, UN special rapporteur on Indigenous peoples, described FPIC as a “gatekeeper” safeguarding land, water and self-determination rights. Fawn Sharp (Quinault) noted climate change offers a chance to align global actions with Indigenous worldviews. Leaders stressed that FPIC protocols must be community-led and ongoing, not just formalities imposed by states or companies, with examples from the Maya in Belize, Sarayaku in Ecuador and Kenya illustrating effective models, according to High Country News.

Justice For Natives praised recent developments in Arizona’s Medicaid sober-living fraud probe, citing 22 new indictments announced May 20 that bring the total charged to more than 120, according to a May 28 press release. The grassroots coalition highlighted $140 million recovered and 25 convictions to date.

The coalition credited Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes and Gov. Katie Hobbs for decisive action. Key developments include a $60 million fraud case tied to Happy House Behavioral Health and a $34 million restitution order against L & L Investments. The April 30 resignations of AHCCCS Director Carmen Heredia and ADHS Director Jennie Cunico followed confirmation issues. Senate Bill 1308, signed April 18, mandates licensing and inspections of sober-living homes. A $6 million grant program was also launched to support Tribal Nations and nonprofits aiding victims.

Attorneys for Greenpeace are seeking to overturn a $667 million jury verdict awarded to the developer of the Dakota Access Pipeline, arguing the decision was driven by bias rather than fact, according to the North Dakota Monitor. During a hearing Tuesday, Greenpeace attorney Everett Jack said the jury aimed to "punish someone who was involved in the protests." The March 19 verdict followed a three-week trial in Morton County, where jurors found Greenpeace liable for defamation, trespassing and other damages tied to protests in 2016 and 2017.

Energy Transfer, the pipeline’s developer, is urging Southwest Judicial District Court Judge James Gion to uphold the full award. Greenpeace attorneys contend the evidence presented did not meet legal standards for defamation and emphasized that only Greenpeace USA had a limited presence at the protests. Gion has taken the motions under advisement.

NATIVE, Inc. will host a community-wide Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) awareness walk in partnership with the Renzo Bullhead family at the Memorial Bridge on Saturday, May 31, 2025, beginning at 12 p.m. The walk will start with a ceremony in the parking lot underneath the Memorial Bridge on the Bismarck side. A meal will follow at the Native American Development Center/NATIVE, Inc., located at 2403 E. Thayer Ave., Bismarck, ND 58501.

On Monday, June 9, 2025, NATIVE, Inc. will host a community-wide prayer circle in partnership with the Renzo Bullhead family and in honor of all other MMIPs. The prayer circle will be held twice that day, at 10:30 a.m. and 12 p.m., at the Native American Development Center/NATIVE, Inc., 2403 E. Thayer Ave., Bismarck, ND 58501.

The public is welcome to attend all MMIP events.

To donate to North Dakota’s MMIP awareness events, visit NATIVE, Inc. at https://www.ndnadc.org/make-a-donation.

The Spirit Lake Tribe held an inauguration ceremony May 27 at the Spirit Lake Casino Ballrooms to welcome newly elected Tribal Council representatives and honor outgoing members, according to a Spirit Lake Tribe press release.

Judge Joe Vetsch administered the oath of office to ReNa Lohnes, Mission District representative; Kevin Dauphinais, Fort Totten District representative; and Darcie Lohnes, secretary/treasurer. Russell McDonald served as master of ceremonies. The Spirit Lake VFW Post 6547 Color Guard and Lake Region Singers opened the ceremony.

Chairwoman Lonna Street acknowledged Memorial Day and emphasized the importance of leadership during difficult times. Outgoing council members Charmayne Bohanon and Kim Three Irons were recognized for their service.

North Dakota officials say the state is well-positioned to adapt to proposed Medicaid changes under President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which passed the House on May 22 by a 215-214 vote. But the bill includes new work and eligibility requirements that could add bureaucratic burdens and cause some residents to lose coverage, according to reporting by the North Dakota News Cooperative. According to Rep. Julie Fedorchak, R-N.D., the state may hold a special session to approve more Medicaid eligibility staff and budget changes.

Only about 10% of North Dakota’s Medicaid recipients fall into the category affected by the work rule, and enrolled tribal members are exempt. Sioux, Rolette and Benson counties — home to Standing Rock, Turtle Mountain and Spirit Lake reservations — have the state’s highest Medicaid enrollment rates. The bill still requires Senate approval before becoming law.