Native American Rights Fund
NEWS
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January 2020

Protecting Native Children & Families

The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) is a long-standing federal law
protecting the well-being of Native children by upholding family
integrity and stability within their community. Brackeen v. Bernhardt
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is the lawsuit brought by three states and individual
plaintiffs, who allege ICWA-a federal statute that has been in
effect for more than 40 years and has helped thousands of Native
children maintain ties to their families and their tribes-is
unconstitutional. On January 22, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
held a hearing on this important issue, and NARF was there. Download
court filings and listen to the hearing on the Tribal Supreme Court Project website.
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Natives Count in Census 2020

Census 2020 started last week in rural Alaska. Despite the fact that there are Alaskan census tracts where 75 percent of households don't speak English at home, zero dollars are being spent on language assistance in Alaska. This lack of dedicated resources is just one example of why Native American communities are the most undercounted group on the US census. An inaccurate census has tangible effects. Lower census numbers translate into less political representation and underfunded federal programs like health care, education, and infrastructure. For Census 2020, NARF is working with American Indian and Native Alaskan communities to ensure that #NativesCount.
Find more information and resources at census.narf.org

Arizona Voting Law Declared Discriminatory

NARF applauds the recent decision from the 9th Circuit ,
which declared an Arizona voting law discriminatory .
The law criminalized picking up or dropping off
a ballot for another voter--a practice known as "ballot
harvesting." It is very common in rural Native American communities for friends and
family to carry ballots for those who are unable to travel
to distant polling places and drop-off boxes. NARF consistently
has opposed any measure that criminalizes picking up or dropping off a
ballot for another voter. We will continue to oppose any attempts to
suppress Native American votes and block equal access to political participation.
All voices must be heard to achieve a healthy democracy.
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Congratulations to Little Shell Tribe

Congratulations to our long-time client, the Little Shell Tribe of
Chippewa Indians of Montana who, after more than a hundred years of
battling the federal government for recognition, were finally legislatively recognized by Congress.
The Little Shell Tribe has waged a two-front war to obtain
recognition-one front in Congress and one in the administrative
process. For decades, NARF has represented the Tribe in the
administrative process and gathered crucial information used in the
Congressional effort, which was led by Josh Clause (Clause Law
P.L.L.C.). The two efforts complemented each other, and we are
thrilled that we were able to support the Tribe's ultimate success.
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Native American Rights Fund
[email protected]
Anchorage 907-276-0680
Boulder 303-447-8760
Washington 202-785-4166

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