A proposed budget cut by the Trump administration threatens to slash funding for⁢ tribal colleges and universities ‍by nearly ​90%. This drastic measure could force the closure of many of these institutions, which ​were established to​ serve Indigenous students historically disadvantaged by U.S. policies.

The proposed cuts are ⁢detailed in the Department of the Interior’s budget request to Congress, released Monday. While the document specifically mentions Haskell Indian Nations university and Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute, the overall request ​for postsecondary programs would plummet ​from over $182 million to just over $22 million⁤ in 2026.

Ahniwake Rose, ⁣president and CEO of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium,​ warns‌ that if Congress approves the proposal, it would devastate the nation’s 37 tribal​ colleges and universities. “The numbers that are being proposed would‍ close the tribal colleges,” Rose ⁣said. “They⁤ would not be able to sustain.”

The Bureau of ⁤Indian Education and the Department of the ⁢Interior have not commented on the proposed⁢ budget​ reductions.

Rose added that neither she nor other college leaders were​ informed‌ or⁤ consulted ‌about the proposed cuts during the budgeting⁤ process. As of Monday, no​ federal officials had contacted the colleges.

This‍ proposal aligns with a broader trend of funding cuts impacting⁤ federal obligations to tribes.The Coalition for Tribal Sovereignty noted that the administration’s proposed discretionary spending for Native Americans would reach a 15-year low, undermining​ trust and ⁤treaty responsibilities.

Legislation passed in 1978 committed the government to funding the⁣ tribal college system with inflation-adjusted appropriations based⁣ on tribal enrollment. Though,⁢ funding has consistently fallen short.

Despite limited resources, tribal‍ colleges have ⁣preserved Indigenous languages,⁢ conducted research, and trained individuals ⁢in‍ essential fields. However, infrastructure challenges, such as failing⁢ water systems and dilapidated buildings, exacerbate financial difficulties.

Manoj Patil,president of Little Priest Tribal College in Nebraska,expressed shock at the proposed cuts. “This would basically be a knife⁤ in the chest,” Patil said. “It’s ‍a dagger, and I don’t no how we‌ can ​survive these types⁢ of cuts.”

Rep.​ Teresa Leger Fernández, ranking Democrat on the House Subcommittee on Indian and insular Affairs, ⁣emphasized the vital role‍ of tribal colleges. “They provide higher education rooted in language, culture and community,” Leger​ Fernández said. “These cuts would⁢ rob Native students of prospect and‍ violate our ​trust responsibilities.”

In‌ recent months,the Trump administration has also ‌suspended Department of ‌Agriculture grants for scholarships and research and pushed for cuts​ to the Pell Grant program,which many tribal college students rely on.

Tribal colleges assert that their⁢ funding ⁤is protected by treaties and the federal trust duty,​ which mandates the U.S. to safeguard Indigenous education, resources, rights, and assets. They also highlight⁤ their role as economic drivers in underserved areas, providing jobs, training, and‍ social services.

Dawn Frank,president ‍of Oglala Lakota College in South Dakota,urged officials to uphold treaty obligations. Chris Caldwell, president of College of⁣ Menominee Nation in Wisconsin, lamented​ the persistent underfunding​ and the feeling that their concerns are⁣ not being heard.