The American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) urges immediate action by Congress to address the devastating proposed fiscal year (FY) 2026 federal budget cuts, which would be devastating to American Indian and Alaska Native higher education. The impact of these cuts not only harms all students attending tribal colleges and universities (TCUs), but also the surrounding local economies, most of which are in rural communities across the United States.

TCUs are often the only accessible post-secondary institutions in rural and remote areas, serving students from all backgrounds. They provide education, economic stability, and cultural preservation, acting as vital anchors for their communities. Any disruption in funding or staffing threatens not only educational opportunities but also local jobs and financial security.

The proposed funding reduction would be catastrophic, forcing many TCUs to close their doors entirely. Already operating on bare minimum budgets, TCUs cannot absorb further cuts without eliminating programs, student services, and staff. Such losses would reverse decades of progress in education, economic development, and self-determination for tribal communities.

Federal funding critical to TCU higher education is facing catastrophic cuts, including the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Indian Education post-secondary programs where funding is proposed to drop from $127.4 million in FY2024 and FY2025 to just $22.1 million in FY2026—an 83% funding reduction. 

This funding supports the nation’s 29 TCUs, two career and technical institutions, Haskell Indian Nations University, and Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI). Such a drastic cut threatens the foundation of Native higher education and the federal government’s trust and treaty obligations.

Further, the USDA Tribal Colleges and Universities Community Facilities Program, which is dedicated to construction and capital improvements at 1994 Land Grant institutions is proposed for a 100% reduction—from $8 million to $0. Without this funding, TCUs will be unable to maintain and upgrade facilities, putting student safety and educational quality at risk.

These proposed drastic reductions come on the heels of recent funding crises that threatened the very existence of Haskell Indian Nations University and SIPI, resulting in significant staff layoffs and program cuts. Only after a groundswell of support from congressional allies and advocates nationwide was this critical funding restored, underscoring the importance of unwavering commitment to these institutions.

Continued assaults on American Indian and Alaska Native higher education represent a clear violation of the federal government’s trust and treaty obligations—commitments that form the cornerstone of the relationship between tribal communities and the United States. For decades, Congress, the courts, executive orders, and previous presidential administrations have affirmed the federal trust and treaty responsibility to support Indian post-secondary education. Upholding this responsibility is not only a legal mandate but a moral imperative.

AIHEC remains confident that policymakers will recognize the gravity of these proposed cuts and take swift action to restore and protect these essential programs. These investments serve not only American Indian and Alaska Native students, but also low-income, rural, and underserved communities across the nation.

AIHEC urges Congress and federal policymakers to recognize that these funding sources are essential commitments, not optional expenditures. AIHEC calls for immediate attention and review of these proposed cuts with a renewed commitment to uninterrupted, robust funding for all federally supported educational programs serving Native and rural communities. The future of our students, cultures, and sovereignty depends on it.