work you do. >> Thank you.
>> The 11 tribal nations in Wisconsin have dozens of federal
grant programs, including nearly $3 billion for tribal health, 14
million for broadband, and more than 10 million connected to
tribal colleges. Just how vulnerable is this funding, and
how might treaty rights be violated? Violated? Not to
mention the services provided if it gets wiped away. We turn to
Darcy Hill, chairman of the Oneida Nation, for his take. And
chairman, thanks very much for being here.
>> Yes, thank you for the invitation.
be potential impacts of any federal funding freeze?
>> Yeah, it could be. It could be quite large, depending on how
they're rolled out. And the particulars. So at Oneida, a
very large portion of our budget actually comes from federal and
state grants. So if it's just wiped clear, that would be very
detrimental to our community. And for employment levels and
for families and all that. We take care of here in Oneida.
>> When you got word that there was this pause or freeze on
these grant and loan programs, what was your reaction?
>> Well, you know, at first it was well, it's let's hope it's
not as bad as it's being made out to be. Obviously, as it
comes to tribal nations and how we're affected by the federal
dollar and government shutdowns and. Freezes like this is a
little bit different per se, just depending on what those
lines that are frozen and how they impact to the nation. And
so, you know, it's definitely okay, let's let's see what
happens with this, how these different departments are
handling this presidential order and see what exactly those
effects are on, on us. >> What about the piece that are
binding commitments and sovereign tribal nations based
on treaty and trust obligations from land exchange? Hundreds of
years ago? >> Yeah, that's always the
worry. You know, obviously tribal nations have ceded, you
know, upwards of 2 billion acres of land to the birth of the
United States. And in exchange for that land was, you know,
promises that we battle every day to hold the United States
accountable to the promises they made to our ancestors. For that
transaction. And so that's a that's an everyday battle, no
matter who the president is or who's in Congress. Tribes stand
up together to fight, fight those battles and do that
education where necessary to be able to bring to light those
issues when it comes to funding for tribal nations.
>> Does does this move seem somehow different or setting an
alarming precedent in your mind? >> I think it is alarming to a
certain extent. Just because a lot of the presidential orders
are pretty broad and so they're not specific enough for us to be
able to analyze and be like, okay, this is how it's going to
affect us, because a lot of it is just left up to the
discretion of either political appointees or long term
employees who don't necessarily have the authority to make the
decisions that they normally would. During these transition
periods. So it's really, you know, kind of like a wait and
see at this point how those decisions are made and they
trickle down through the system to have the effect on tribal
nations. >> As to executive orders coming
out of Washington, we've seen reported that some tribal
members have been detained and immigration sweeps. Is that
something that you're aware of in the Oneida or across the
state? >> I haven't have no been able
to verify any Oneida tribal members being detained or even
checked at this point. I know another tribe in the state that
they had some of their tribal members checked, but not
detained, just verifying their identification and let you know,
continue on their way to where they were heading. But for us,
we haven't had any verified accounts of anyone actually
being detained. >> Is it perversely in question
that all Native Americans born in the U.S. Are citizens? As to
this birthright citizen issue? >> Yeah. You know, the Snyder
Act passed in 1924, so it's 100 year old law. And so I don't
think that's really in question. It would obviously take an act
of Congress to reverse that decision, or the Supreme Court
to change these types of things. And so those are kind of long
processes that would probably see legal battle and the entire
way, you know, along the way, it's processed to the Supreme
Court. And so I think that's just a long standing law that I
don't think is in any question right now. But it is in the
backs of some people's minds as a threat to tribal sovereignty.
But I think at this point, it's a long ways off.
>> That's good news. Chairman Tehassi Hill, thanks very much.