Native American Rights Fund
@nativerights
Native-led nonprofit that holds governments accountable & protects Native rights, resources, and lifeways through litigation, legal advocacy, & expertise.🪶#NARF #NativeRights
Meet Erica Mendez, a third-year law student at the University of Wisconsin Law School, a member of the Quinault Indian Nation and a summer law clerk at NARF. She is committed to advancing Tribal sovereignty and plans to continue serving Tribal Nations through a career in Indian law.
The National Indian Law Library is dedicated to federal Indian and Tribal law. As part of NARF, the library serves both NARF attorneys and the public by maintaining a unique and valuable collection of Indian law resource. Find all your Tribal Water Resources here: buff.ly/AXzCNwW
A victory for Native voting rights! The U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Watson v. Republican National Committee upholds state laws that allow ballots cast by Election Day to be counted after Election Day when they arrive on time under state law. Learn more: buff.ly/kMxn0iV
As many celebrate the Fourth of July, it's also an opportunity to recognize the unique political status of Tribal Nations. DYK? Reflective of their sovereign status predating the United States, Tribal Nations have government-to-government relationships with the federal government: buff.ly/XhpjpiF
Meet Christian Skunk, a third-year law student at the University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law and a citizen of the Kul Wicasa Oyate (Lower Brule Sioux Tribe). Recently named one of the USD's 30 Under 30, he has built a strong foundation in Tribal government and public policy.
Please join us in welcoming summer law clerk Damon J. Clark (Diné) to NARF. Damon is a J.D./M.B.A. candidate at the University of Arizona and serves as national president of the National Native American Law Students Association. We are excited to have him on our team this summer!
The latest edition of the NARF Legal Review is here. This is a chance to see the difference that your investment is making. This issue highlights 25 years of the Tribal Supreme Court Project, efforts to support Natives facing unlawful ICE enforcement actions, and ongoing litigation: buff.ly/E3x1kfV
As Tribal Nations work to protect the waters that sustain their communities, questions of jurisdiction remain at the forefront. This article explores the growing conflict over who has the authority to regulate water use. Read more: buff.ly/G3k4vQw
Juneteenth serves as a reminder of the ongoing work to achieve freedom and equality for all, starting with the foundation of our democracy: our freedom to vote. For democracy to work, it must include us all.
NARF is pleased to welcome Michelle, a third-year law student and Root-Tilden-Kern Public Interest Scholar at NYU Law. Originally from Tucson, Arizona, with deep ties to Durango, Mexico, Michelle is passionate about federal Indian Law, Tribal sovereignty, and environmental justice.
Tribal Nations have long warned that Line 5 Tunnel Project threatens the waters, fisheries, and treaty-protected resources that sustain Indigenous communities across the Great Lakes. Submit comments to Michigan regulators by June 30 urging them to reject Enbridge's proposal: buff.ly/NtjGsbF
TODAY! Join us for "Indigenous Rights in International Advocacy", on June 16, 2026, from 12:00 to 1:30 PM (MT), via Zoom! This session will include international developments from the recent session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) and more! Register: bit.ly/TIPQuarterly
The fast track attempt to overturn the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument management plan failed today! This means the plan stays in place and will continue to protect Tribal Nations' cultural resources and sacred places for generations to come. #SacredPlaces deserve lasting protection.
Meet Breanne Harvey, a third-year law student at the University of Arizona’s James E. Rogers College of Law and a member of the Diné, Salish & Kootenai peoples. Her work focuses on Tribal water rights, Tribal sovereignty and supporting Native law students through leadership roles. Welcome, Breanne!
The #AntiquitiesAct has protected culturally significant places for more than 100 years. Grand Staircase-Escalante is the homeland of many Indigenous communities. On the 120th Anniversary, we call on Congress to protect this important national monument from current threats!
South Dakota primaries are tomorrow (Tuesday, June 2). If you have questions or run into issues while voting, help is available. The Election Protection hotline is a NARF works with the hotline to help Native voters. Call or text 866-OUR-VOTE for election assistance.
On Katie John Day, we honor the legacy of Ahtna Elder Katie John, whose fight helped protect Alaska Native subsistence rights for generations. This year, SCOTUS let stand federal protections for subsistence hunting and fishing in Alaska, officially ending U.S. v. Alaska. Read more: buff.ly/uMO8ekN
The Fourth Circuit recently confirmed that NAGPRA applies to Native children buried at Carlisle without Tribal or family consent. This ruling is a major step toward bringing Samuel Gilbert and Edward Hensley home to the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, where they belong: buff.ly/qzbxlJj
NARF, the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation, and Hobbs, Straus, Dean & Walker, LLP have filed a Motion to Intervene on behalf of Papa Ola Lōkahi in defense of the Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship Program. Read more: buff.ly/BsXCN7y
Today is Native Nonprofit Day! A reminder of how important Native-led organizations are in protecting Tribal sovereignty, defending Native rights, and supporting Native communities. Give today and help support the fight for Native rights and Tribal sovereignty: buff.ly/f6YvYRV
Today is the anniversary of the #NationalVoterRegistrationAct, and we are celebrating a recent Montana court action that allows voters, including rural Tribal communities, to keep their full Election Day registration opportunities. Learn more: buff.ly/PbJy4BE
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is the homeland of Tribal Nations who continue to use the landscape to practice their traditions, gather foods and medicines, and care for their sacred places and cultural resources. Join @ncai1944 and @grandstaircasecoalition to protect this sacred place.
The U.S. Supreme Court has sent Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians et al. v. Howe--an important fight over enforcement of the Voting Rights Act--back to the Eighth Circuit. NARF and our partners will continue advocating for Native communities. buff.ly/njHuCCO
This Mother’s Day, we honor the strength, love, and resilience of mothers and caregivers everywhere. Today and every day, we celebrate those who nurture future generations and uplift our communities. Happy Mother’s Day from NARF.
The Columbia River Treaty set the stage for regional water management and power generation in the Pacific Northwest for decades. Today, renegotiating the Treaty with input from Tribal Nations and First Nations, is providing a much-needed holistic perspective.
Indian Country has secured victory after victory using the Voting Rights Act's essential protections. The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Callais undermines the protections enshrined in Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
Today, SCOTUS gutted Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, a foundational tool for challenging racial discrimination in voting. Native American communities and other voters of color continue to face unique and unreasonable obstacles to voting and having their votes count: buff.ly/9fMM6Yd
The Wabanaki Nations have stepped in to defend Maine’s new internet gaming law, an important step toward economic opportunity and Tribal self-determination. By intervening in federal court, the Nations are protecting their right to build sustainable economies and support their communities.
Our 2025 Annual Report is here! This year’s report highlights how collective support is advancing justice through major legal victories, Tribal sovereignty protections, and continued advocacy grounded in NARF’s 5 guiding principles. It also features Diné master weaver Roy Kady: buff.ly/fsHTP0S