More than 20 tribal organizations are urging the Trump administration to respect tribal sovereignty – and uphold treaty and trust responsibilities.

The coalition sent a letter on Sunday to President Donald Trump, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, and members of Congress.

This follows actions by the administration in Trump’s first two weeks in office, including a recent rescinded memo, which sought to freeze federal loans and grants.

The letter states that recent orders are raising concerns among tribes and tribal organizations, including urban Indian organizations across the country, which provide healthcare, education, economic development, and other services to tribal communities.

The organizations say questions remain about how federal agencies will interpret and implement the administration’s executive orders and policies moving forward.

The National Indian Health Board, the National Congress of American Indians, and the American Indian Higher Education Consortium are among tribal groups, which signed the letter, emphasizing tribes as sovereign nations with unique political status and not special interest groups.

Tribal leaders across the country are seeking to build a relationship with Secretary Burgum.

He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate last week.

The former governor of North Dakota received support from the five tribes in his state.

According to U.S. Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND), Burgum received support from more than 185 tribes.

During his confirmation hearing in January, tribes were mentioned several times. He was questioned about tribal sovereignty and tribal consultation.

Here’s how Burgum described working with tribes.

“Tribal consultation to me as governor of North Dakota has meant actually spending time going to the tribes, listening, sometimes listening for hours to really understand what the issues are and then getting people ahead of time and then working on things that are important.”

Burgum highlighted one area of concern in his state to improve public safety saying he helped achieved agreements with tribes on law enforcement.

Much of his hearing focused on energy development, but conservation and protection of sacred sites were touched on.

Tribal leaders are hopeful Burgum brings his work on government-to-government relationships, and his knowledge of Indian Country to his position as Interior Secretary, as he now oversee the agency that includes Indian affairs and the management of public lands.

Jack Frantz, the director of North Slope Borough Housing Department, speaks to the participants of the housing summit on Jan. 23, 2025. (Courtesy North Slope Borough)

Housing shortages and overcrowding affect most of Alaska, and the North Slope is no exception.

Alaska Desk reporter for our flagship station KNBA Alena Naiden has more.

In particular, the remote region faces additional logistical challenges, but also unique economic opportunities.

That was the takeaway from a recent North Slope Borough housing summit held in Anchorage.

The event highlighted affordable ways for residents to buy or build homes in the Arctic.

Jack Frantz is the director of the borough Housing Department.

He says that homes in the region are falling apart faster than new ones are being built.

“You also hear about it when you have, you know, a young adult that wants to stay on the North Slope, but has to move down to one of the lower cities just because of a lack of housing on the North Slope as well.”

Frantz says that the country’s most northern region – which is predominantly Alaska Native – is in a unique situation.

The remote geography makes shipping and construction challenging and expensive.

But he says residents of the oil-rich region also have interest and resources to purchase houses. He says that more than half of the North Slope homes are owned by residents.

The housing summit aimed to connect potential home buyers to existing financing opportunities, available contractors, and affordable ways to ship supplies.

For example, Frantz says summit panelists discussed how residents and entities could form a co-op and order supplies together to cut shipping costs.

“When you talk about economies of scale, generally, just more you order, the bigger discount you get.”

The borough plans to put together a guide listing banks and contractors who are looking to work with buyers in the region.

They also plan to present a report on the summit during Kivgiq, which is a celebratory mid-winter festival in mid February in Utqiaġvik.

They will also discuss it during future village visits.

Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today.