Lessons Learned from California ICWA Cases in the Last Year
Since the enactment of AB 3176 in 2019, California case law has begun to define when there is “reason to believe” a child is an Indian child (which comes with the duty of further inquiry of Indian status by the county agency), and “reason to know” (which comes with the requirement of providing formal […]
FCC’s Rural Tribal Priority Application Window for Access to 2.5 GHz Spectrum
By Michael Godbe, CILS Bishop office Registered Legal Aid Attorney 7/31/20 UPDATE Deadline to apply extended 30 days to 3pm PST on September 2, 2020. Follow these links to read the FCC’s News Release and Order. Apply before the August 3rd Deadline! The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is currently accepting applications from federally […]
The Myth of the Monthly Check for Native Americans
By Mark Vezzola, CILS Escondido office Directing Attorney About ten years ago, I attended a social event for young professionals at an upscale hotel in downtown San Diego (back then, I was young). As almost everyone was a stranger to me, most conversations began with introductions and inquiries about our jobs. One man, upon learning […]
ICWA Implementation Shortfalls
By Jedd Parr, CILS Sacramento Office Directing Attorney In 1978, the federal government passed the Indian Child Welfare Act in response to wildly disproportionate numbers of Native American children being removed from their parents and placed outside of their families and tribes. Many grew into adulthood with no knowledge of their heritage. Before the ICWA, […]
TRIBAL ALERT: CARES Act Funding – Second Distribution URGENT Action
To All Tribal Leaders: The United States Treasury Department (Treasury) expects to take additional time to distribute the remaining $3.2 billion in COVID-19 related funding under the CARES Act (aka Coronavirus Relief Fund). This delay is due to missing submissions from 57 tribes and incomplete or incorrect information submitted by 336 tribes regarding their tribal […]
Protect Your Cultural Resources
By Dorothy Alther, Executive Director Protecting Native American cultural resources comes in two forms: “proactive” and “reactive.” I encourage tribes to engage in both approaches. Proactive: Sign up for consultation early when a project or undertaking is in the planning stages. Early consultation allows you to build in mitigation measures, tribal monitoring requirements, and protocols […]
