The Wabanaki Alliance launches a call to action, asking allies to help protect the federal functions and programs that are the basis of the trust responsibility from the United States government to federally recognized tribal nations.
“The Mi’kmaq, Maliseet, Passamaquoddy, and Penobscot are all affected by any cuts or changes to these federal agencies and we need your help to maintain the programs that our people, lands, and waters depend on. Please see the urgent message below from USET and contact your Representative and Senator before the end of the day today!”
Woliwon,
Ambassador Osihkiyol Crofton-Macdonald
Board President, Wabanaki Alliance
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| February 14, 2025 OPM to Terminate Thousands of Federal Employees Serving Indian Country — Call Members of Congress and Admin Officials ASAP Dear USET/USET SPF Family,Last night, we became aware that the White House’s Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has directed agencies to begin firing nearly all employees that are still within their probationary period and possibly others. Federal employees typically remain on a probationary period for one to two years after they have been hired. Across the government, approximately 200,000 employees are expected to be affected. We have been informed that agencies serving Tribal Nations are not exempt from this directive — with several thousand employees at agencies like the Indian Health Service, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Indian Education, and DOJ Office of Tribal Justice slated to be terminated by 5 pm TODAY, February 14th.As you know, these agencies already face workforce shortages that jeopardize the delivery of trust and treaty obligations. A reduction in workforce of this scale would hobble the federal government’s ability to deliver essential programs and services to Indian Country, including public safety, health care, education, and emergency management. USET SPF is urging member Tribal Nations to call Members of Congress and Trump political appointees and tell them to immediately exempt all federal positions serving Indian Country from any workforce reductions. Although this information is still developing, one thing is clear: we cannot allow this Administration to gut the delivery of its trust and treaty obligations. USET SPF will continue to advocate for the protection of federal services and positions focused on the delivery of trust and treaty obligations, and will provide updates as they become available. For more information, please contact Liz Malerba, USET SPF Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs, at lmalerba@usetinc.org. |
Native Americans unfortunately have learned that there can be no trust in the United States government related to the government’s obligations noted in signed trusts and treaties. Native Americans can still expect their land taken away and biological warfare waged against them.
Sad.