“You see what they’re doing at the state level in places like Washington state, New York and California to be proactive in slowing the spread,” said Rodney Bordeaux, President of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. “Our tribal governments also have rights and obligations to our people to protect them. Apparently, the administration wants to punish Tribes for that. We will not stand by and let that happen.” NARF's client Rosebud Sioux Tribe has joined Oglala Sioux Tribe and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe in calling on the South Dakota governor and the federal government to respect tribal sovereignty as they take steps to address the pandemic. Read more about the Tribes' ongoing fight   →

The United States “solemnly guarantied” the Muscogee (Creek) Nation their reservation as a “permanent home” in exchange for leaving their eastern homelands. This month's  historic US Supreme Court decision in McGirt v. Oklahoma reaffirms that understanding. In issuing the opinion of the Court, Justice Neil Gorsuch said, “Today we are asked whether the land these treaties promised remains an Indian reservation for purposes of federal criminal law. Because Congress has not said otherwise, we hold the government to its word.” NARF Executive Director John Echohawk responded to the decision, “In this case, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation had to fight long and hard to protect their homelands, which were promised in their treaty agreements with the United States. In holding the federal government to its treaty obligations, the US Supreme Court put to rest what never should have been at question. We congratulate the Nation on its success.” Find out more about the case, which NARF supported through amicus briefing   →

The Washington (DC) NFL football team recently announced its plans to retire its name and logo We welcome this long overdue change. For over two decades, NARF has repeatedly called out the Washington DC football team for their use of a racist and offensive term. To that end, we have participated in multiple legal cases on the issue, advocated for an end to racist trademarks, joined with partners to put pressure on advertisers and news outlets to stop using the names of Native mascots in print and on air, and boycotted companies such as FedEx that invest in sports organizations with racial slurs masquerading as team names. NARF stands strong against any and all Native-based mascotry. (Image: Retire Indian Mascots by TR Redcorn) Read our latest statement on the issue  →

Despite the pandemic, NARF was able to welcome this year's class of summer law clerks to our team. Although attending remotely, each of the clerks is assigned to work with attorneys in one of our three offices. Through this competitive and long-standing program, students have the opportunity to serve Indian Country and learn about complex Indian law working on unique and novel legal issues, which can span across federal, tribal, and state courts. Meet these talented law students on our website or Facebook  →

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