Victory in ND: Voters Will Be Protected!

 

In the wake of the district court’s denial of the state’s motion to dismiss, the Secretary of State has agreed to settle two federal voting rights lawsuits brought by two tribes and several individual voters over North Dakota’s voter ID law. “This fight has been ongoing for over four years, and we are delighted to come to an agreement that protects Native voters,” said NARF Staff Attorney Matthew Campbell.  “It has always been our goal to ensure that every Native person in North Dakota has an equal opportunity to vote, and we have achieved that today. We thank the Spirit Lake Nation, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, and the individual Native voters that stood up for the right to vote.” Read more about the settlement and how voters will be protected →

TransCanada Admits that KXL Pipeline Would Cross Indian Land

The Fort Belknap Indian Community and Rosebud Sioux Tribe continued their fight against the illegal permitting of the Keystone XL pipeline with two filings in the US District Court of Montana this month. According to NARF Staff Attorney Natalie Landreth, “What we have seen in these recent filings is that TransCanada’s Keystone XL pipeline route crosses Rosebud-controlled lands. If and when TransCanada provides sufficient maps of the pipeline’s route, we expect that we will see even more affected tribal lands. These lands are Indian lands. As such, they are protected by treaties as well as tribal and federal laws. As much as they would like to, TransCanada cannot ignore the laws that protect Native American people and lands.” Learn more about the filings and get the latest case updates →

Oral Arguments in Fight to Protect Sacred Badger-Two Medicine

The United States Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit heard oral argument in Solenex v. Bernhardt, a long-running case about the protection of the Badger-Two Medicine Area, which is an area sacred to the Blackfeet Tribe and where the Tribe possesses treaty-reserved rights. NARF represented the Blackfeet Tribe as an amicus party at the federal district court and again at the DC Circuit. A decision in the case is expected by this summer. Find out more about this ongoing case →

 

Let the Celebration Begin!

This year we take special joy in honoring our past as we protect our future. NARF is celebrating our fiftieth anniversary, and we want you to join us!

On Friday, May 8, we will be gathering together at our 50th Anniversary Gala to be held at the Gaylord Rockies Resort in Aurora, Colorado. In the upcoming weeks we will be sending you information about the event. Please watch your inbox and check back at our website.

Whether you can join us in May or not, we invite you to celebrate fifty years of NARF and our community standing strong for justice.