A group of tribal nations and students have filed a lawsuit against federal government officials over the baseless terminations of nearly five dozen people serving Haskell Indian Nations University and Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute last month.
About three dozen Haskell employees, and approximately 18 at SIPI in Albuquerque, New Mexico, were fired on Feb. 14 based solely on their status as probationary employees, meaning they did not yet have civil protections. The terminations were part of sweeping, indiscriminate cuts at the federal level. Many of the positions directly served students, and others supported the universities’ campuses.
The eight-count lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Friday, asks the court to issue an order reversing those terminations.
It also asks the court to declare the restructuring to be in violation of federal law, to put an injunction in place against further reductions in force, to issue an injunction compelling the defendants to consult with American Indian and Alaska Native tribes, and more.
The case was filed by the Pueblo of Isleta, Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, and Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes along with five individual students — four at Haskell and one at SIPI. The defendants are Doug Burgum, secretary of the Interior; Bryan Mercier, the assistant secretary for Indian Affairs; and Tony Dearman, director of the Bureau of Indian Education.
The lawsuit states that “The United States affirmatively recognizes and supports the sovereignty and Self-Determination of tribes,” and that the government has an obligation under federal law to work in full cooperation with tribes.
Yet the case alleges that neither the tribal nations nor students of the universities were ever offered an opportunity to consult on the drastic changes.
“At minimum, due to these staff reductions, services provided to Haskell students have been modified, curtailed, or eliminated and are in danger of being eliminated permanently,” the case alleges.
In addition, the case states that the U.S. Office of Personnel Management has ordered agency heads to develop “Agency RIF and Reorganization Plans” — more large-scale reductions in force — by March 13.
Students have been unable to determine whether they’ll be able to graduate on time, complete the courses they need and more since the staff cuts. Financial aid has been delayed for some.
Restrooms have overflowing trash cans and no toilet paper because all but three custodial staff members at Haskell were terminated, the case alleges. And “Because food service staff were eliminated except for one staffer, students have been forced to work without compensation to keep food services running.”
“Due to the harms to student life, academics, student services, changes that imperil Haskell’s accreditation, quality of education, and reputation, both Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation and Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes are reluctant to recommend Haskell to its students as a place of higher learning, despite having recommended Haskell to their students in the past,” the lawsuit states.
About 22 employees in the BIE were terminated last month, as well, which has set back the agency’s progress, the case alleges.
The BIE currently operates 55 elementary and secondary schools and funds another 128 elementary and secondary schools operated by tribes under contracts and grants, serving about 40,000 students, according to information in the lawsuit.
Haskell has 918 enrolled students this spring, and SIPI had 215 in fall of 2024, according to its website.
Here’s the full complaint:
gov.uscourts.dcd_.278194.1.0The Haskell Board of Regents has also called on the federal government to fulfill its legal obligations to tribal nations and reverse the firings. And Haskell supporters have rallied to provide support for the university and those who lost their jobs.
Some Haskell instructors who were terminated will return on adjunct contracts, but at the expense of the nonprofit Haskell Foundation rather than the government.
In addition, on Thursday, “BIE reportedly notified 14 of the terminated Haskell staff members that they will be rehired; however, BIE notified those individuals that this might be temporary, and they may be laid off again,” the lawsuit states.
Read more in the articles linked below.
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More coverage — Haskell Indian Nations University:
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Tony WebsterTribal nations, students sue feds over job cuts at Haskell and SIPI
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