On December 24, 2025, the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) filed an amicus brief in support of an injunction that blocks the sweeping federal funding freeze imposed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in January 2025. The injunction prevents not only the original freeze but also any similar funding restrictions the Administration might attempt. NARF filed the brief on behalf of multiple Tribal and Native organizations, including the National Congress of American Indians, the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center, and the Alaska Native Women’s Resource Center, among others.
The funding freeze directly threatens the federal government’s ability to uphold its trust and treaty obligations to Tribal Nations and Native communities. The United States owes a debt to Tribal Nations stemming from the seizure of nearly two billion acres of resource-rich land through war, treaties, and coercive practices. This debt carries ongoing trust and treaty responsibilities, which include providing funding and services to Indian Country. The freeze not only violates these obligations but also jeopardizes the health, well-being, and economic stability of Tribal communities, which have historically faced systemic marginalization and persistent socio-economic and health disparities.
Tribal Nations and Native-serving organizations rely on every federal dollar to address the critical needs of their communities. These funds are particularly vital because of chronic underfunding and high demand for services. Disruptions caused by funding freezes create uniquely severe harms to Indian Country, affecting the provision of essential services and threatening the welfare of Native people. NARF emphasizes that Native lives cannot be treated as bargaining chips and that maintaining the injunction is crucial to preventing these harms.
The lawsuit, National Council of Nonprofits v. Office of Management and Budget, was filed in January 2025 by a coalition of nonprofit organizations. A temporary restraining order issued by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia quickly blocked the OMB’s funding freeze, and a subsequent preliminary injunction extended this block. In her ruling, District Judge Loren L. AliKhan noted that the funding freeze had caused nationwide chaos and could have catastrophic or even fatal consequences for the plaintiffs and their members.
After the Trump administration appealed the injunction, the Tribal amicus brief filed by NARF supports upholding the court’s decision. The brief underscores the critical need for the U.S. government to honor its financial commitments and legal obligations to Tribal Nations and Native people, ensuring that these communities continue to receive the funding necessary to meet their essential needs.
