21-05-2025
5 things to know about Native Hawaiian rights in 2025
HONOLULU (KHON2) — In early 2025, new executive orders from Washington, D.C. put Native Hawaiian programs under a shadow of fear. What looked like a wave of federal changes against diversity, equity and inclusion sparked confusion and concern across Hawai'i.
For many, the worry was simple but heavy: Would the federal government still recognize its obligations to Native Hawaiians?
DOGE cuts hit Native Hawaiian programs
That fear reached classrooms, healthcare clinics, housing programs and small businesses. For Native Hawaiian advocates, it was more than a question about policy. It was a question about identity and survival.
But something else happened, too. A quiet, strategic form of advocacy unfolded behind the scenes. Leaders asked questions that mattered. Congress stepped in with sharp reminders. And in time, one agency responded clearly.
Now, as the situation continues to evolve, Native Hawaiians are walking forward with clarity, caution and the deep understanding that their rights are rooted in law, not trends.
Local political analyst Stan Fichtman provided details on what has been happening, and caught up with Kumu Bradford Lum, former Chair of the Hawaiian Affairs Caucus, to better understand how we got here and what comes next.
Here are the top things to know about Native Hawaiian rights under the 2025 DEI executive orders signed in January were aggressive. They attempted to circumvent Congress end federal DEI programs by removing funding tied to critical race theory and gender identity and pushed a version of 'merit-based' hiring that left out equity concerns.
These orders did not name Native Hawaiians directly. But the broad language caused alarm. Many wondered if Hawaiian immersion schools, ʻohana-focused health programs or Native-specific small business supports would be cut.
Kumu Lum said Native Hawaiian leadership has been deliberate in drawing a line.
'As far as Native Hawaiian issues, we are doing our best not to be part of the DEI,' Kumu Lum said. 'We are distinguishing ourselves as separate and not be lumped together.'
The United States Department of Education backed that distinction in April. In a response to the National Indian Education Association, the department clarified that Native Hawaiian, American Indian and Alaska Native programs are not considered DEI.
That clarification helped. According to Fichtman, the relief was immediate. Yes, you can still be Native Hawaiian; and yes, the federal government still has a responsibility to you.
The reason Native Hawaiian programs are still standing has nothing to do with DEI. It has everything to do with history.
Fichtman indicated that this is about trust obligations going back to Prince Kūhiō and the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act. Native rights are grounded in federal law, not DEI policy; so, dismantling DEI doesn't dismantle those obligations.
Kumu Lum puts it this way: 'As Native Hawaiians, Native Americans and Native Alaskans, we are all Indigenous peoples of America.'
Hence, that status comes with legal commitments that cannot be erased by a single executive order.
Those obligations span housing, education, economic development and health. They are based on trust relationships, not political preference. That legal framework is what protected many Native Hawaiian programs from being swept up in the DEI rollback.
In early February, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska sent a letter to the White House's Office of Management and Budget. It was direct. Would the new DEI bans affect Native Hawaiian, Native American and Alaska Native programs?
Hawai'i's Senator Brian Schatz, who co-leads the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, helped drive that message. Their letter pointed to law, not ideology.
This is where the quiet power of Congress shows up, Fichtman said. A single letter, sent on official committee letterhead, can redirect an entire agency's interpretation of an executive order.
OMB never replied. But the Department of Education did. That response, though indirect, was enough to protect key Native Hawaiian programs, for now.
The Education Department clarified its position. Other agencies have not.
'We are concerned,' Kumu Lum said. He listed key programs that could be harmed: '$30 million could be affected. Small Business Administration Native 8(a) Business Development Programs. Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act. Hawaiian Homes Commission Act. And the Native Hawaiian Education Act, which will impact Hawaiian immersion schools and other Native Hawaiian education programs.'
Then there's the Native Hawaiian Health Care Act. Kumu Lum called that out specifically. 'We are truly concerned on Native Hawaiian Health Care Act.'
Without formal guidance from agencies like the Department of the Interior or Health and Human Services, those fears remain real.
Kumu Lum said it clearly: 'We now have to wait and see what happens and be prepared to what will happen and to find alternative options to accommodate our needs for our Hawaiian keiki, students, parents and kūpuna.'
The DEI orders never erased Native identity. But they tested it.
Fichtman indicated that this was not just a shift in policy. Rather, it was an existential question. People were wondering, 'Can we still legally be Native Hawaiian in the eyes of the federal government?'
What brought the answer wasn't a protest. It wasn't a court ruling. It was a carefully written letter, grounded in law, backed by legacy and followed by another from a federal department.
Advocacy doesn't always need to be loud to be effective, Fichtman said. Sometimes, the work is done in conference rooms, not headlines.
Kumu Lum's view carries that same message. Native Hawaiian advocates will continue distinguishing their programs from DEI and continue watching how federal agencies interpret the law. They will also continue protecting what matters most, our keiki, our parents and our kūpuna.
You can access Fichtman's political analysis at You can find out more about the Hawaiian Affairs Caucus by clicking .
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The story is not finished. But as 2025 moves ahead, Native Hawaiians are walking with the same strength that guided their ancestors: clarity, kuleana and aloha.
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