Native American Rights Fund

If passed, #BAAJA would mean: 💬 Less Tribal consultation on federal decisions. 🏞️ Weaker protections for sacred places, resources, water, & wildlife. ⚖️ Less oversight of projects that could threaten Tribal lands & treaty rights. 🏛️ Greater barriers to challenging harmful projects in U.S. courts.

This #UnitedNationsDay, we must remember that upholding Indigenous rights, knowledge, and cultures is essential to building a more just world. As recognized by the U.N., governments must help protect Indigenous knowledge and respect Indigenous Peoples' right to decide how it is shared and used.

It's #VoteEarlyDay! Election Day is November 3, but you may be able to vote before then. Before heading to the polls, check your state's early voting dates, polling locations, ID requirements, and mail ballot options. Find resources at vote.narf.org

Native communities deserve to be counted. Proposed 2030 Census changes could threaten fair representation, federal resources, and civil rights protections. 📢 Public comments are open through Nov. 2. Learn more: buff.ly/MAP8sbS

Democracy requires more than participation. It requires constant vigilance to protect the rights generations of Native people have fought for and to ensure every Native voter can make their voice heard.

This #ElectionHeroDay, thank you to our election protection volunteers for showing up for Native voters and their communities! Thank you for showing up for Indian Country!

A proposed Senate bill would weaken Tribal consultation, limit Tribal participation in federal permitting, and threaten protections for Native lands, waters, and sacred places. NARF breaks down the potential impacts and provides congressional contact information: buff.ly/E5eitkF

40 years ago, Melody McCoy joined NARF as a staff attorney. She has since gone on to argue before the U.S. Supreme Court, shape major Indian Law cases, and advance the rights of Tribal Nations. Today, we are proud to celebrate Melody as a recipient of the NAICJA Outstanding Service Award!

60 years ago, the National Historic Preservation Act became law. Today, we must defend the protections it provides. Tell Congress: Protect Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and Tribal consultation. Sacred places deserve protection, and Tribal Nations must have a voice.

National Archives closures and record moves could limit Tribal access to evidence of U.S. promises and unmet obligations. These records are essential to holding the government accountable for its responsibilities to Tribal Nations.

In a recent talk with environmental advocacy leaders, NARF Senior Staff Attorney Brett Lee Shelton explored how worldviews shape conflict resolution, and how Indigenous Peacemaking centers relationships, respect, responsibility, and reciprocity. Learn more buff.ly/38XhRqo

When we vote, we help choose who makes decisions affecting our families and communities. ✔️ Check your voter registration ✔️ Register or update your info ✔️ Remind a friend to check theirs Get started: vote.narf.org #NativeVote

Kalshi’s illegal sports betting siphons away critical revenue Tribes use to sustain themselves. More than 140 Tribal Nations and Tribal organizations have filed a brief in Flaherty v. KalshiEX, which argues that Kalshi’s online prediction market ignores Tribal gaming authority.

Have you made a plan to vote? Know your options and make a plan: vote.narf.org

The first Americans should not be the last to vote. Congress must pass a Native American Voting Rights Act.

What does voting access look like for Native voters? Our new report, Obstacles Persist: According to the Data, examines barriers throughout the voting process, from registration to ballot rejection. Read the full report: buff.ly/B9Gt0gC

Welcome to Native Vote Week! We’re kicking things off with our voter resources, covering voting rights, registration, voting access, and more. We’ll be sharing more information throughout the week. Start here: buff.ly/CW6uf9s

The Indian Child Welfare Act remains a vital protection for Tribal families and Tribal sovereignty. The Supreme Court's decision to decline review for N.R. v. Ellison leaves those safeguards intact. buff.ly/uUxMIhz

Class of 2027 families: Is your student planning to wear eagle feathers or Tribal regalia at graduation? Now is the time to check with your student's school policies and request these accommodations as early as possible. buff.ly/B3aDfz3

The Supreme Court’s new term starts Monday. Protecting Tribal rights takes work year-round. At the Tribal Supreme Court Project’s 25th anniversary, leaders discussed priorities for that work. Read the recap ⤵️ buff.ly/v0gWtHb

Today, we honor the children who never returned home, survivors, and the families and communities who carry these truths forward. On Orange Shirt Day, we remember that every child matters and recommit to truth, reconciliation, and bringing our relatives home. #OrangeShirtDay

📣 There is still time to make your voice heard on proposed changes to the #2030Census! Learn more about the proposed changes and how to submit a comment: buff.ly/S0W7xFw

Reporters covering the elections: What should you watch for when covering voting access in Indian Country? Join NARF + the Indigenous Journalists Association for a briefing on recent voting data, barriers affecting Native voters, and questions journalists should be asking. buff.ly/3psTypJ

To be clear: the Indian Child Welfare Act is grounded in Tribal sovereignty, not race. Tribes are sovereign nations, and the U.S. must respect their authority to protect their children. For decades, ICWA has protected Native children against unnecessary removal from their families and communities.

Law students: NARF is accepting applications for Spring 2027 legal externships. 💻 Remote work options available ⚖️ Earn externship credit or volunteer 📅 Apply by Oct. 15 Qualifications + application details: buff.ly/wb9tc5E

📸 Snapshots from 25 years of the Tribal Supreme Court Project. Last week, Tribal leaders, attorneys, judges, legal scholars, and advocates gathered in D.C. to discuss Indian Law, Tribal rights, and what comes next before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Tribal Nations maintain the right to govern their lands and control who may enter them. Today, Tribal Nations and organizations represented by NARF submitted a brief supporting the Tohono O’odham Nation in its case against the Department of Homeland Security. buff.ly/aqNUAkY

Rivers sustain Native cultures and ways of life. Protecting them means upholding Tribal water rights and respecting Tribal sovereignty. This #WorldRiversDay, explore NARF’s resource on Tribal water rights, The Headwaters Report: narf.org/headwaters-r...

Long before the U.S. court system, Tribal Nations used peacemaking to resolve conflict, address harm, and restore relationships. Rather than focusing on winners and losers, peacemaking brings people together to listen, take responsibility, and find a path forward. buff.ly/FwfZxqI

30 years ago, Grand Staircase-Escalante became a national monument. Today, we celebrate Grand Staircase-Escalante and reaffirm our commitment to defending its boundaries and its enduring significance to affiliated Tribal Nations. #GrandStaircaseEscalante #TribalSovereignty #ProtectSacredPlaces

Yes, voting by mail is still an option this election. 📬 Check your state’s rules to see whether you’ll receive a ballot or need to request one, and return it early.

Tomorrow, we mark 25 years of the Tribal Supreme Court Project and look ahead to the work still to come. Thank you to our sponsors for making this gathering possible and supporting the continued defense of Tribal rights before the U.S. Supreme Court.

For decades, Native voters have demonstrated their power to shape elections. Yet too many eligible Native Americans remain unregistered. On National Voter Registration Day, take the first step toward wielding that power by registering to vote at buff.ly/B5XixtM

The recent proposed changes to the #2030Census could have far-reaching consequences for Native communities. Removing questions about race and ethnicity could make it harder to understand where Native people live, identify inequities, enforce civil rights protections, and plan essential services.

Thank you to the @Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, a Presenting Sponsor of the Tribal Supreme Court Project’s 25th Anniversary!

Four Tribal Nations in Michigan are calling for state regulators to overturn two state permits tied to Enbridge’s proposed Line 5 oil tunnel. buff.ly/FY44UmO

After staffing cuts at BIE and BIE-run schools, the Trump administration is now moving Indian education programs and staff out of the Department of Education, again without Tribal consultation. Decisions about Native education should not be made while shutting Tribal Nations out. buff.ly/ahqsztZ

NOW is the time to plan ahead to vote: ✔️ Check your state’s ID, address + eligibility requirements ✔️ Register by your state’s deadline + check your status ✔️ Find early voting + ballot return options ✔️ Plan for travel, timing, and mail deadlines Find voter resources at vote.narf.org.

NEW 📰 from @gracesegers.bsky.social: buff.ly/hPnQle2 NARF Sr. Staff Attorney Jacqueline De León explains how proposed changes to mail-in voting could have an outsized impact on Native voters.

📷 From the NARF archives: In the late 1960s, Native people and Tribal Nations struggled to find legal representation to protect their sovereignty, lands and rights. Attorneys saw the need for a national organization dedicated to Native rights. In 1970, NARF was born.

Montana is the only state whose constitution requires education about Indigenous cultures. Alongside @aclu-mt.bsky.social and @nativerights.bsky.social, we're pushing the state to fulfill a worthwhile commitment.

NEW RESOURCE: Five Steps to Tribal Government Coordination Safe elections on and around Tribal lands should coordinating with Tribal governments from the start: buff.ly/LdR6gQV

CASE UPDATE: The Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, Spirit Lake Nation, and Native voters are continuing their fight for fair representation in North Dakota under the #VotingRightsAct. buff.ly/z6E0aXe

The U.S. government is attempting to unlawfully restructure Native education without consulting Tribes. Read about actions Native students and Tribal Nations are taking to hold federal agencies accountable: buff.ly/MH9jn1g

The Voting Rights Act is being dismantled, and yet we continue to experience major barriers to voting. Barriers that make voting at times impossible in Indian Country. Now we have the evidence to prove it. Read “Obstacles Persist: According to the Data”: buff.ly/ust7pCF #NativeVote