The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) on Oct. 5, leaving Minnesota court decisions in place supporting the placement of Red Lake Nation twins with their maternal grandmother. The case, N.R. v. Ellison, challenged both ICWA and the Minnesota Indian Family Preservation Act (MIFPA). Former non-relative […]
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A federal appeals court has handed two California tribes a significant victory in their challenge to Kalshi, ruling that the company’s online sports event contracts likely violate federal Indian gaming law when accessed from tribal lands. In a unanimous decision issued Sept. 16, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reversed part of […]
The federal government has adopted temporary operating guidelines for the Colorado River after the seven basin states failed to agree on a long-term plan for the drought-stricken waterway. The agreements governing shortages and operations at Lake Powell and Lake Mead expire at the end of 2026. On Aug. 21, the U.S. Department of the Interior […]
The Walker Youngbird Foundation is helping Native artists move ambitious projects from concept to public presentation through its Emerging Native Arts Grant. Awarded twice annually, the grant provides each recipient with $15,000, mentorship, and a curated showcase. It supports early-career Native and Indigenous artists completing projects intended for public presentation through an exhibition, installation, publication, […]
Aaliyah Nye made history during her rookie season and is widely recognized as the first Indigenous player to win a WNBA championship. Now, the 23-year-old guard is continuing her professional career with the playoff-bound Atlanta Dream. Nye, a citizen of the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians, was selected by the Las Vegas Aces with the […]
Federal funding for Indian health increased for fiscal year 2026, including a significant boost for a program supporting diabetes prevention and treatment in Native communities. Congress provided approximately $5.86 billion for Indian Health Service services and facilities, a 1.3% increase over fiscal year 2025. The total includes approximately $5.05 billion for health services and $809.2 […]
The National Archives and Records Administration plans to close two facilities and relocate records from a third, prompting concern from tribal officials, historians, and archivists who say the agency made the decision without meaningful tribal consultation. The agency plans to close its archival facilities in Chicago and San Francisco and transfer temporary federal records from […]
By Ailene Bass DALLAS, TX. —This past week, Shiyazh Pete was one of the hopeful rookies who played for the Dallas Cowboys in their preseason as an offensive lineman. His agent, Brett Tessler, tweeted on Sunday that Shiyazh Pete had been released from the Cowboys. The disappointment quickly reached across football and Native fans alike […]
By Ailene Bass GLENDALE, AZ. — After a preseason Dallas Cowboys win over the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday, August 22nd, team player Shiyazh Pete played six snaps against the Cardinals in the second half of the game, and was humbled to have an entire section of Navajo community members give him a standing ovation. The […]
The Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa is facing multiple federal lawsuits that raise a larger question: How much authority does a tribal nation have to govern and protect its reservation and natural resources? In April 2026, Wisconsin sued the tribe after it passed resolutions restricting non-member fishing for walleye and muskellunge on 19 […]
Several Native candidates are advancing to Minnesota’s November general election following the Aug. 11th primary, with Indigenous candidates appearing in races ranging from local government and school boards to the Minnesota Legislature and the U.S. Senate. According to election coverage from ICT, nearly a dozen Native candidates were running for office across Minnesota on Tuesday. […]
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