On April 14, 2025, the United States Department of the Interior announced a series of Tribal Consultations. The purpose of the consultations is to address the new administration’s goal of “working to enhance government efficiency while upholding trust and treaty obligations across Indian Country,” under Executive Order 14210, titled “Implementing the President’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ Workforce Optimization Initiative.”

The specific topics the new administration is seeking feedback on from Tribes are:

• Restructuring of Indian Affairs to support more efficient interactions with Tribes:
  What recommendations would you make to Indian Affairs to improve efficiency through staffing changes, resource sharing, process improvements, and potential consolidation of programs and offices?
• Addressing current funding structures, including identifying efficiency barriers to expedite funding to Tribes and Tribal programs:
  What recommendations would you make to Indian Affairs to improve access to Federal programs, funding, and services?
• Increasing Indian Affairs support for Tribal self-governance and self-determination:
  How can Indian Affairs optimize its functionality and effectiveness to provide Tribes with improved flexibility to foster economic growth, address the specific local needs of their communities, and increase pathways to self-determination and self-governance?

DOI has announced a series of six in-person and hybrid, and one virtual Tribal consultation session to accept oral and written comments.

In announcing the consultations, the DOI took the additional unusual step of stating that the “Tribal consultation sessions will be closed to the press and the public to protect any confidential information that may be discussed during the formal consultation sessions.”

The Tribal Consultation sessions are both in-person and virtual and are as follows:

ALASKA
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
10:00 am – 3:30 pm Alaska Daylight Saving Time
Registration link

CALIFORNIA
Thursday, May 22, 2025
10:00 am – 3:30 pm Pacific Daylight Saving Time
Registration link

ALBUQUERQUE
Tuesday, May 27, 2025
10:00 am – 3:30 pm Mountain Daylight Saving Time
Registration link

MINNESOTA
Thursday, May 29, 2025
10:00 am – 3:30 pm Central Daylight Saving Time
Registration link

OKLAHOMA
Tuesday, June 3, 2025
10:00 – 3:30 pm Central Daylight Saving Time
Registration link

WASHINGTON, DC
Thursday, June 5, 2025
10:00 am – 3:30 pm Eastern Daylight Saving Time
Registration link

Given the significant cuts to the federal workforce in other agencies, and the lack of sufficient funding and personnel currently allocated the Native programs and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Tribes should be prepared to advocate at these tribal consultations for the resources that are necessary to fulfil the federal government’s obligations to Tribes, including those arising from statutes, treaties, and trust obligations.