A minority report to the Congressional Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children has exposed the damaging consequences of federal Indian policies on Native American families and children. The document, titled 'Minority Report: Commission on Native Children,' represents extensive research and testimony gathered from grassroots Native American communities nationwide. Commissioner Elizabeth Morris, who authored the minority report, describes an 'iron triangle' within federal Indian policy that enables implementation of laws and policies some tribal members characterize as controlling, oppressive, and unconstitutional toward Native American families.
These policies have produced devastating effects on Native American children's wellbeing, contributing to elevated rates of poverty, abuse, substance abuse, and suicide within these communities. Morris contends that if tribal members are considered 'wards' of the federal government, as some federal positions maintain, then the government bears a 'trust responsibility' to protect children at all costs—even when doing so creates political discomfort. She questions whether this responsibility instead prioritizes protecting tribal leadership over children's welfare.
The minority report demands immediate action to confront systemic problems within federal Indian policy and safeguard Native American children's rights and wellbeing. It contains specific recommendations for policy changes and reforms designed to empower Native Americans as individuals, families, and communities while advancing local self-determination. The complete report is available at https://dyinginindiancountry.com/2024/03/01/minority-report-congressional-commission-on-native-children/.
Morris expresses hope that this report will stimulate meaningful change and draw necessary attention to challenges confronting Native American families and communities. She asserts that the federal government must recognize and correct harm inflicted by current policies on Native American families. The minority report functions as a wake-up call to Congress and the public, pressing them to take action and support Native American children's wellbeing through substantive policy reform.
