Programs provided by the Bureau of Indian Affairs face uncertainty as the Department of Government Efficiency plans to terminate leases.
BIA provides funding and services to 574 federally recognized tribes, serving about 1.9 million American Indians and Alaska Natives, and administers programs such as the Indian Child Welfare Act.
The end of these leases will limit access to services including burial, emergency, and child assistance, as well as put in question funding for schools and scholarships.
Siouxland Public Media contacted the BIA offices in Winnebago, Nebraska and Wagner, South Dakota. Both offices pointed to an email they'd received from the federal government that prohibited them from responding directly.
