Executive Branch
AIHEC engages with federal agencies and their policymakers.
On behalf of Tribal Colleges and Universities, AIHEC engages with federal agencies on the implementation of policies directly impacting TCU and student aid programs. By building and maintaining strong relationships with federal agencies, AIHEC ensures the needs of TCUs, American Indian and Alaska Native students, and Tribal communities are a priority for policymakers in the U.S. Executive branch.
Respecting Tribal Sovereignty and Upholding the Federal Government’s Trust and Treaty Obligations
The following documents were created by a coalition of Tribal Organizations in response to Executive Orders and other actions by the Trump Administration. These letters and press releases are part of an effort to protect Indian Country’s interests and to educate on the Nation-to-Nation relationship Tribal Nations have with the U.S. federal government and the federal trust responsibility they have to these Tribal Nations.
To access a report or documents, please contact Kathy Aplan at kaplan@aihec.org
Letters to Congress and or White House
Joint Tribal Organization Letter to White House and Congress – February 2, 2025
Joint Tribal Organization Letter to House re Reconciliation– February 25, 2025
Joint Tribal Organization Letter to Senate re Reconciliation– February 20, 2025
Joint Tribal Organization Letter to the White House [EO 14112]– April 9, 2025
Joint Tribal Organizations Letter to Congress [RE: Protecting Funding for Tribal Historic Preservation Officers]– July 28, 2025
Department of Agriculture
Joint Tribal Organization Letter to USDA – March 24, 2025
Department of Commerce
Joint Tribal Organization Letter to Department of Commerce [RE: Commerce Treatment of Tribal Nations in Implementing Administration Priorities] – June 13, 2025
Department of Defense
Joint Tribal Organization Letter to DoD – February 21, 2025
Department of Education
Joint Tribal Organization Letter to ED – February 14, 2025
Letter to Education Re Information Request – September 5, 2025
Department of Energy
Indian Country Request for Information – 09-5-25
Department of Government Efficiency
Joint Tribal Organization Letter to DOGE – March 14, 2025
Department of Health & Human Services
Preserving Tribal Nations’ Access to Important ACF Programs in Fiscal Year 2026 – April 25, 2025
Joint Tribal Organization Letter to HHS – February 14, 2025
Department of Homeland Security
Joint Tribal Organization Letter to DHS – February 14, 2025
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Joint Tribal Organization Letter to HUD – February 21, 2025
Department of Interior
Joint Tribal Organization Letter to DOI – February 14, 2025
Joint Tribal Organization Letter to DOI AS-IA re Importance of and Legal Mandates re Indian Education – February 21, 2025
Joint Tribal Organization Letter to DOI [Proposed FY26 to Indian Affairs in President’s Budget Request] – April 11, 2025
Joint Tribal Organization Letter to DOI [RE: Recommendations to Improve Effectiveness of Tribal Consultation] – May 19, 2025
Joint Tribal Organization Letter to DOI [RE: Request for Implementation of Tribal Consultation Best Practices] – August 1, 2025
Letter for DOI re Tribal Consultation on Regulatory Reform – August 1, 2025
Department of Justice
Joint Tribal Organization Letter to DOJ – March 14, 2025
Department of Labor
Joint Tribal Organization Letter to DOL – March 5, 2025
Department of the Treasury
Joint Tribal Organization Letter to Treasury – February 21, 2025
Department of Veterans Affairs
Joint Tribal Organization Letter to VA – April 10, 2025
Environmental Protection Agency
Joint Tribal Organization Letter to EPA – February 14, 2025
Federal Communications Commission
Comment on CTIA Petition for Rulemaking on the Commission’s National Environmental Policy Act Rules, RM-12003 – April, 03, 2025
Office of Management and Budget
Joint Tribal Organization Letter to OMB – February 14, 2025
Request for OMB Exemption Letter Attachment – List of Funded Accounts with Tribal Implications – September 29, 2025
Office of Personnel Management
Coalition Response to Executive Order (EO) – February 14, 2025
Small Business Administration
White House Actions
AIHEC and the Coalition of Tribal Organizations are actively monitoring and reviewing President Trump’s executive orders and other actions. The information below provides a list and links to the numerous orders published by the Trump Administration that impact our nation’s Tribal Colleges and Universities.
General White House memos and Executive Orders
- Executive Order 14148: Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions – January 20, 2025
- Memorandum: Regulatory Freeze Pending Review – January 20, 2025
Federal Workforce memos and Executive Orders
- OMB Memo: Guidance on Agency RIF and Reorganization Plans Requested by Implementing The President’s “Department of Government Efficiency” Workforce Optimization Initiative – February 26, 2025
- Executive Order 14210: Implementing the President’s “Department of Government Efficiency” Workforce Optimization Initiative – February 11, 2025
- White House Fact Sheet: Reforming the Federal Workforce to Better Serve Americans – February 11, 2025
- White House Memo: Federal Hiring Freeze – January 20, 2025
Agency Memos and Orders
Department of the Interior
- DOI Secretarial Order: Ending DEI Programs and Gender Ideology Extremism – January 30, 2025
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Presidential Executive Orders on Tribal Colleges and Universities and Indian Education
The establishment of executive orders on Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) stands out as one of AIHEC’s most significant successes. The first TCU executive order was issued on October 19, 1996 by President Clinton (EO 13021). Subsequently, Presidents Bush, Obama, and Biden have issued executive orders on American Indian and Alaskan Native education and Tribal Colleges and Universities. These executive orders are powerful directives that Tribal Colleges and Universities need to be supported by all federal government departments and agencies. These executive orders acknowledged Tribal Colleges and Universities as extensions of the federally recognized Tribes that charter them and confirmed the education of American Indians and Alaska Natives as part of a larger national mandate, one that all leaders and policymakers have a responsibility to recognize and fulfill.
On October 11, 2021, President Biden issued a comprehensive executive order that once again combines the goals of American Indian and Alaska Native education and Tribal Colleges and Universities. AIHEC is working with the Biden administration to ensure TCUs and TCUs students receive “focused attention,” “commitment,” and “investment” from all federal agencies.
Previous Executive Orders:
Executive Order 13270 – Tribal Colleges and Universities (July 2002, President George W. Bush)