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Yahoo
29-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Navajo activists recall risks of coal and uranium mining, ask council to protect people
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — When Evie Tsosie walks, her limp is noticeable, something that wasn't always the case. She recalls the day it all changed. She was working at the Peabody coal mine on the northern part of the Navajo Nation when a front-end loader collided with her truck, injuring her and damaging her back. Tsosie became disabled while working at the coal mine and is now fighting cancer for the third time — a battle that may be linked to her years of working in the uranium mines operated by Kerr-McGee in Churchrock, N.M., and in the Ambrosia Lake mining district near Grants. 'It's probably because my dad used to work in the uranium mine for the war but he entered World War II from there,' said Tsosie, talking about why she decided to work in the uranium mines. She told her story on a day when she and others pleaded for more accountability from the Navajo Nation Council. She said she took the job at the coal mine to be closer to her parents, who lived between the Navajo communities of Kayenta and Dennehotso. Over the years, she's endured the physical toll of working in both uranium and coal mines, both on and off the Navajo Nation. But beyond the physical impact, she also faced another burden — harassment from male coworkers. In the male-dominated mining industry, she and the few other women at the uranium sites were often targets of inappropriate behavior. 'It was rough working in mines with nothing but men,' said Tsosie. 'There was a lot of harassment … even from supervisors.' Tsosie attended the second day of Navajo Nation Council with other former uranium miners and family members of uranium miners, who traveled to Washington, D.C., on a 38-hour bus ride last fall to advocate for the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA). Some of those, like Tsosie, who traveled on the bus were also battling stage four cancer. Council Delegate Amber Kanazbah Crotty recognized the miners and the families of those who have died from illnesses linked to uranium mining. 'The federal government has an obligation to our miners — not only to provide medical care, but also to compensate them for their pain and suffering,' she said. In Congress: Navajo uranium miners, many with cancer, just lost new compensation in defense bill These acknowledgments took place on April 22 — Earth Day — a time dedicated to honoring Mother Earth. This year marked its 55th anniversary, yet in the weeks leading up to it, many have viewed recent executive orders from President Donald Trump as a direct attack on the Earth, particularly on the Navajo Nation and other tribal communities. Some of the orders aim to revive uranium and coal mining on tribal lands — extractive practices that communities have spent decades working to shut down. Outside the council chamber were demonstrators from various community organizations who came together, concerned about Navajo President Buu Nygren and the Navajo Nation Council, and what they see as a neglect to prioritize Navajo water and failure to protect it from continued waste and pollution by industry. 'Our Navajo Nation does not have an energy plan,' said Leona Morgan, co-founder of the group Haul No! 'Our Navajo Nation does not have a plan to clean up all the more than 500 abandoned uranium mines. Our Navajo Nation does not have a plan for us, for our future, so we need to work together to figure these things out.' Unlike past uranium mining practices, Morgan said new concerns are emerging with potentially harmful impacts. As a community organizer, she emphasized that her focus is on nuclear issues, with uranium mining just the starting point. She pointed to other critical concerns, including extraction, mining, in-situ mining and ablation — practices the Navajo Environmental Protection Agency plans to use in efforts to clean up uranium mines. Ablation is a mining process that uses high-pressure water or air to separate uranium from surrounding rock, a practice that raises concerns about groundwater contamination and radioactive dust exposure. Morgan argued that these practices are not about environmental protection, but rather about profiting from uranium waste. 'We have uranium all over the place and the Navajo Nation made a law that said 'no uranium mining, no uranium transport,' but unfortunately they changed the ban on uranium transport to regulating,' said Morgan. 'So we need to make sure they don't get rid of the no-mining law. We need to make sure the Navajo Nation always stays a nation that does not allow uranium mining.' With just a handful of the 24 Navajo Nation Council delegates showing up to meet and hear the group, and President Nygren absent, Wendsler Nosie, Sr., of the group Apache Stronghold, addressed the crowd. Apache Stronghold has been fighting Resolution Copper over plans to develop a copper mine on the sacred site Oak Flat near Superior. 'What is happening here is happening in Apache country as well,' said Nosie. 'What you do today and tomorrow is really critical for the children yet to be born and everything God created. One of the big fights we are fighting is about Mother Earth, at this point she doesn't have a voice in what we call America.' As tribal leaders continue to show support for their people who have endured ailments and loss due to harmful work conditions in uranium and coal mining, as well as showing concern for the land and water, it's seen as contradictory by citizens when the same leaders also continue to back extractive businesses on tribal lands. 'This history of my community is the same as many other communities in Dinétah,' said community organizer Joseph Hernandez. 'This government was created because of three communities and their oil … one of those communities was my community where we had the Rattle Snake oil field. It's from that part of dealing with outside people coming into our community, our homeland, telling us we can be rich quick, giving our people money, it was through that time that we are known through policy as a sacrifice zone.' Hernandez, from New Mexico, recalled how his grandfather worked as a uranium miner at Kerr-McGee, and how he personally witnessed the suffering his grandfather endured, often driving him to his treatments. "Coming back from World War II he worked in the uranium mines in Cove ... they took breaks in the uranium mines and the government, the people in power, told them 'you don't have to worry about nothing,'" said Hernandez. "This is helping your community with jobs. That's the same message that we are hearing today! Jobs!" Ore transport: 'I was terrified': Uranium shipments worry Navajo, Ute tribal members along truck route Between 1944 and 1986, an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 Navajo worked in uranium mines, and exposure to uranium dust led to a sharp rise in lung cancer cases. It was noted that Nygren conflated the numbers of how many jobs were lost due to closure of Navajo Generating Station and Kayenta mines. Alvin John had traveled with Tsosie on the bus to Washington hoping to meet House Speaker Mike Johnson and explain why RECA for post-1971 miners was vital, but Johnson wasn't there. 'I guess he knew we were coming.' A former uranium miner at Kerr-McGee mine in Churchrock from 1977 to 1982, he said his job was working inside the mine using pillar stope, a method of extracting ore while leaving pillars of ore intact to support the mine's roof, ceiling and surrounding rock. 'It was dangerous. At the time I started working there, I didn't know it was going to put my life in danger,' said John. 'I just started working. At the time, I was young and back then the money was good. Now I am past 65 and I am suffering.' It was in the mid-1990s when the impact of his job suddenly hit him. One morning, while making coffee at his mom's house, he said he was overcome by a sudden illness and a wave of intense pain throughout his body. After visiting medicine men with no improvement, he finally went to the hospital, where doctors couldn't find anything wrong. He spent a month there, and after being discharged, John said it took nearly a year before he was able to walk again. 'So now I can't stand too long,' said John. 'I've been living with this pain for 27 years. I went to the doctors, but they couldn't do anything. Since I lived with this pain for so many years, I just said 'oh well, guess I'll live with it until the day I die.'' Nygren's position: Navajo president endorses Trump's coal order, but activists cite climate, health risks Nygren and his administration have negotiated the terms of uranium transport from being banned to regulated and also brought support to coal development, but the Navajo Nation Council continues to publicly state they are not part of these negations or talks. Most notably, community organizers are strongly against Nygren's recent decision. The Diné Coalition of grassroots organizers have demanded transparency and accountability from Navajo tribal government on energy and uranium development. "We call on the Navajo Nation President to stop making deals that degrade our land, water, and future," stated a news release from the group. "We urge tribal leaders not to repeat historical mistakes with respect to uranium extraction. The cleanup and remediation of hundreds of abandoned mines must be completed, prioritizing public health safety and ecosystem health." The group made several points, including: The Navajo people retain their right to free, prior, and informed consent. The group claims the Navajo EPA, Eastern Land Commission, Diné Uranium Remediation Advisory Commission and the Resource and Development Committee are not providing uranium policy updates to the general public. Support is needed for Navajo farmers, ranchers, and businesses. The recent actions and statements by President Nygren do not reflect the will of the Navajo people. There should be no new mining in or around the sacred mountain Mount Taylor, near the Roca Honda Mine. There should be no testing of "emerging technologies" on the people. "We oppose the recent initiative to the Navajo Nation President to unilaterally open the door to more coal development in the Navajo Nation," the group said. "With the Trump administration's announced intent to ramp up production of 'mission-critical' uranium the private energy offenders are again targeting Diné lands with no intention of ensuring public health, safety, or environmental concern." Arlyssa D. Becenti covers Indigenous affairs for The Arizona Republic and Send ideas and tips to This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: On Earth Day, Navajo activists ask council to oppose coal, uranium mining
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tensions escalate among Navajo leaders as Nygren finally agrees to address Navajo Nation Council
Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren's designated seat within the Navajo Nation Council Chamber remained empty during the State of the Navajo Nation Address for the opening of the Spring Session on April 21, 2025. Photo courtesy of the Navajo Nation Council Two days after he ignored a subpoena demanding he appear before the Navajo Nation Council as it kicked off its spring legislative session, Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren will deliver his State of the Navajo Nation address on Wednesday. It will be the first time that Nygren has appeared in the council chambers since January, when he cut his short and left before completing his quarterly State of the Navajo Nation address amid questions from delegates that he thought were disrespectful. Although Nygren announced on Tuesday that he would honor the Navajo Nation Council Speaker's invitation to appear before the council and provide this quarter's report in person, he made clear that he wouldn't hesitate to leave again if he was asked questions he didn't want to answer. 'I am prepared to have a meaningful, engaging and productive discussion about the things we were all elected on, including housing, water, electricity, roads, broadband, sovereignty and more,' he said in a memo to the speaker's office. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX 'I request that you allow me to present my State of the Nation uninterrupted,' he added. 'I reserve the right to excuse myself if the questions and comments derail productive discussion and are not focused on our shared goals of serving the people and moving the Nation forward.' Nygren said he specifically won't entertain discussions on topics 'rooted in gossip, unsubstantiated information, and are unproductive,' which he said are not appropriate or productive. Nygren requested that the Navajo Nation Council Delegates submit any questions they would like him to address beforehand, something he said would make the process as productive and orderly as possible. Nygren's move to provide his state of the address in person comes after the Navajo Nation Council voiced their concerns about his failure to appear and present during the opening of the spring session on Monday. Although Nygren was expected to deliver his address, he was absent, leaving the council with only a written report. The Navajo Nation Council stated in a press release that Nygren has failed to appear and present the address to the council and the public four times since he was elected into office. Nygren's last appearance before the council was on Jan. 27 during the Winter Session, but it abruptly ended when Nygren excused himself and left the Navajo Nation Council chambers before completing his address. In his memo to the speaker, Nygren said that he left the winter session due to the conduct of some of the delegates present, who he felt 'did not align with the decorum, order and mutual respect expected of naat'áanii (leader).' Before the spring session, Navajo Nation Council Speaker Crystalyne Curley filed a subpoena ordering Nygren to appear before the council on April 21 at 10 a.m. to deliver his State of the Navajo Nation address and report. In a statement posted on social media, Nygren said he was traveling to Washington, D.C., to meet with federal partners. 'This trip underscores my commitment to working collaboratively, regardless of political affiliation—be it Republican or Democratic—to advocate for our Nation's needs and priorities,' he wrote on Facebook. Nygren said that he fulfilled his 'obligations' to the Navajo Nation Council by submitting a written report, which aligns with the requirements of Title 2 of the Navajo Nation Code. 'This action demonstrates my commitment to transparency and accountability to the Navajo people,' he added. Curley said working with federal partners is important, but the president must also report to the Navajo people and engage in meaningful dialogue with the Council members. 'What we're seeing from President Nygren is a lot of one-way communication directed at the Navajo people through radio, livestreams, newsletters, social media, and now a written report,' Curley said in a press release. 'The Navajo people want to hear President Nygren present his report in person and to have an in-depth dialogue with the Council,' she added. 'Yes, it's important to work with our federal partners, but President Nygren also needs to work with our Diné leaders as he promised when he campaigned for the presidency.' During Monday's opening day of the spring session, several Navajo Nation Council delegates voiced their concerns about Nygren's administration. They cited repeated absences, unilateral decision-making, and alleged misrepresentations made to both federal partners and the Council. 'We've been patient and willing to work with him,' Navajo Nation Council Delegate Brenda Jesus said. 'But enough is enough. At what point does the Navajo Nation Council show that we mean business? He's not honoring our collaboration — he's mocking it.' Navajo Nation Council Delegate Vince James said the president's absence was not just disappointing, it was disrespectful to the Navajo people. 'President Nygren is playing games with this body and with our Nation,' James said, adding that Nygren has been scheduling meetings in Washington, D.C., to avoid his responsibility to report to the council. 'His actions are undermining our programs and our sovereignty,' James said. Navajo Nation Council Delegate Andy Nez called on the council to consider hosting a special session to address the ongoing pattern of Nygren's absences. 'The president's absence sends the wrong message,' Nez said. 'We cleared our schedules to be here. His staff knows when the Council meets. He chooses public appearances and media over direct dialogue with this body.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Navajo advocates say prez's approval of uranium transport, Trump coal order feels like a betrayal
David Tsosie, with the Diné-Centered Research and Evaluation group, leads advocates in prayer on Monday in front of the Navajo Nation Council meeting hall. (Photo by Patrick Lohmann/Source NM) Advocates from across the Navajo Nation gathered in front of the nation's council meeting hall Monday, hoping to tell Navajo President Buu Nygren how frustrated and disappointed they are by his abrupt endorsement of Donald Trump's executive order aiming to reinvigorate the nation's coal industry. But Nygren was in Washington, D.C. As part of his 'engagement with our federal partners,' his office said on social media, he couldn't address the Navajo Nation Council for its first meeting. That left advocates even more frustrated, they said, that they couldn't speak to Nygren about their concerns. Uranium transport through Navajo Nation sparks concerns in New Mexico Advocates in speeches Monday pointed to the Nygren administration's recent confidential agreement with uranium company Energy Fuels,, which allows the company to transport uranium ore across the Navajo Nation for a price and in exchange for the company's promise to clean up abandoned uranium mines across the Navajo Nation. Because of the late January agreement, several trucks carrying uranium ore and other material traverse the western side of the Navajo Nation most days, carrying the material from a mine near the Grand Canyon to a mill in Utah. The agreement would also apply to the eastern side of the Navajo Nation, which falls in New Mexico, if a proposed massive uranium mine near Mount Taylor is ever approved for operation. That project, called the Roca Honda Mine, is now a 'priority project' at the Cibola National Forest, thanks to Trump's executive order seeking to boost domestic energy production. In addition to the uranium transport agreement, advocates on Monday also noted that Nygren last week endorsed Trump's 'Reinvigorating America's Beautiful Clean Coal Industry' executive order and took a selfie with him during the signing ceremony. Advocate Percy Deal spoke at the rally Monday in English and Navajo, saying Peabody Energy's coal mining operations beginning in the 1960s have drained an untold amount of water from aquifer vital to in his community on the Black Mesa plateau in northeast Arizona for generations, plus contributed to climate change. So he was surprised and alarmed that Nygren, whom he called 'Hastiin Bich'ah Lizhinigii' in Navajo or 'the man in the black hat' in English, would endorse executive orders boosting coal production from Trump, 'Mr. yellow hair,' without consulting people like him who have been so harmed by coal extraction. 'All these things probably are now in the hands of Mr. yellow hair. The sad thing is that Hastiin Bich'ah Lizhinigii never spoke to any of us. Never did,' Deal told attendees. 'He's got a vehicle here furnished by the tribe. He could have gone out to, for example, the Black Mesa and talked to us.' Long-stalled NM uranium mines now 'priority projects' at Cibola Forest, leader tells employees Nygren's spokesperson, Alistair Bitsoi, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the group's criticism Monday afternoon. But Nygren in a letter published Monday on social media defended his endorsement of Trump's energy executive orders. 'I accepted the invitation [to the White House] because the three executive orders that President Trump signed are intended to advance America's dominance in energy,' Nygren wrote. 'The Navajo Nation shares the goal of American energy dominance because the Navajo Nation has for 100 years been a part of the energy framework of the United States. 'Our lands have natural resources and transmission lines, also known as the grid. We will forever be part of the American energy framework and therefore Navajo's voice and involvement in these discussions is required,' he wrote. Advocates said that Nygren's latest endorsements are a stark contrast from language on his website listing his priorities for the environment, which begins by saying, 'Mitigating the effects of climate change on Navajo land is our responsibility, and the Nygren Administration will ensure Navajo community voices are empowered in protecting our water, air and land.' Larry J. King, who grew up in Church Rock, said at the rally that he once worked in uranium mines in New Mexico and in 1979 he witnessed the United Nuclear spill there, which is the largest accidental release of radiation in United States history. He told Source New Mexico that Nygren, who took office in January 2023, repeatedly promised during his election to clean up uranium mine waste from his community at Red Water Pond but then ignored his calls. That's one reason King said he does not believe Nygren's promises that the new transport agreement will result in the cleanup of legacy uranium mines in areas like Red Water Pond. For one thing, he's skeptical of 'high-pressure slurry ablation,' which Navajo Nation officials have touted as an emerging treatment method for the cleanup process. King noted that Nygren endorsed Kamala Harris and traveled with the Democratic delegation to the Democratic convention last year. He said he sees Nygren's latest endorsements as a betrayal of his promises and his constituents. 'He's just making a turnaround, and in support of all this industry wanting to come and desecrate,' he said. 'A repeat of what we've been through trying to remedy the situation from the last 30 to 40 years. He's just, he's going back.' Source New Mexico is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Source New Mexico maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Julia Goldberg for questions: info@ SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Navajo advocates say prez's approval of uranium transport, Trump coal order feels like a betrayal
David Tsosie, with the Diné-Centered Research and Evaluation group, leads advocates in prayer on Monday in front of the Navajo Nation Council meeting hall. (Photo by Patrick Lohmann / Source NM) Advocates from across the Navajo Nation gathered in front of the nation's council meeting hall Monday, hoping to tell Navajo President Buu Nygren how frustrated and disappointed they are by his abrupt endorsement of Donald Trump's executive order aiming to reinvigorate the nation's coal industry. But Nygren was in Washington, D.C. As part of his 'engagement with our federal partners,' his office said on social media, he couldn't address the Navajo Nation Council for its first meeting. That left advocates even more frustrated, they said, that they couldn't speak to Nygren about their concerns. Uranium transport through Navajo Nation sparks concerns in New Mexico Advocates in speeches Monday pointed to the Nygren administration's recent confidential agreement with uranium company Energy Fuels,, which allows the company to transport uranium ore across the Navajo Nation for a price and in exchange for the company's promise to clean up abandoned uranium mines across the Navajo Nation. Because of the late January agreement, several trucks carrying uranium ore and other material traverse the western side of the Navajo Nation most days, carrying the material from a mine near the Grand Canyon to a mill in Utah. The agreement would also apply to the eastern side of the Navajo Nation, which falls in New Mexico, if a proposed massive uranium mine near Mount Taylor is ever approved for operation. That project, called the Roca Honda Mine, is now a 'priority project' at the Cibola National Forest, thanks to Trump's executive order seeking to boost domestic energy production. In addition to the uranium transport agreement, advocates on Monday also noted that Nygren last week endorsed Trump's 'Reinvigorating America's Beautiful Clean Coal Industry' executive order and took a selfie with him during the signing ceremony. Advocate Percy Deal spoke at the rally Monday in English and Navajo, saying Peabody Energy's coal mining operations beginning in the 1960s have drained an untold amount of water from aquifer vital to in his community on the Black Mesa plateau in northeast Arizona for generations, plus contributed to climate change. So he was surprised and alarmed that Nygren, whom he called 'Hastiin Bich'ah Lizhinigii' in Navajo or 'the man in the black hat' in English, would endorse executive orders boosting coal production from Trump, 'Mr. yellow hair,' without consulting people like him who have been so harmed by coal extraction. 'All these things probably are now in the hands of Mr. yellow hair. The sad thing is that Hastiin Bich'ah Lizhinigii never spoke to any of us. Never did,' Deal told attendees. 'He's got a vehicle here furnished by the tribe. He could have gone out to, for example, the Black Mesa and talked to us.' Long-stalled NM uranium mines now 'priority projects' at Cibola Forest, leader tells employees Nygren's spokesperson, Alistair Bitsoi, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the group's criticism Monday afternoon. But Nygren in a letter published Monday on social media defended his endorsement of Trump's energy executive orders. 'I accepted the invitation [to the White House] because the three executive orders that President Trump signed are intended to advance America's dominance in energy,' Nygren wrote. 'The Navajo Nation shares the goal of American energy dominance because the Navajo Nation has for 100 years been a part of the energy framework of the United States. 'Our lands have natural resources and transmission lines, also known as the grid. We will forever be part of the American energy framework and therefore Navajo's voice and involvement in these discussions is required,' he wrote. Advocates said that Nygren's latest endorsements are a stark contrast from language on his website listing his priorities for the environment, which begins by saying, 'Mitigating the effects of climate change on Navajo land is our responsibility, and the Nygren Administration will ensure Navajo community voices are empowered in protecting our water, air and land.' Larry J. King, who grew up in Church Rock, said at the rally that he once worked in uranium mines in New Mexico and in 1979 he witnessed the United Nuclear spill there, which is the largest accidental release of radiation in United States history. He told Source New Mexico that Nygren, who took office in January 2023, repeatedly promised during his election to clean up uranium mine waste from his community at Red Water Pond but then ignored his calls. That's one reason King said he does not believe Nygren's promises that the new transport agreement will result in the cleanup of legacy uranium mines in areas like Red Water Pond. For one thing, he's skeptical of 'high-pressure slurry ablation,' which Navajo Nation officials have touted as an emerging treatment method for the cleanup process. King noted that Nygren endorsed Kamala Harris and traveled with the Democratic delegation to the Democratic convention last year. He said he sees Nygren's latest endorsements as a betrayal of his promises and his constituents. 'He's just making a turnaround, and in support of all this industry wanting to come and desecrate,' he said. 'A repeat of what we've been through trying to remedy the situation from the last 30 to 40 years. He's just, he's going back.'
USA Today
08-04-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Navajo Code Talker links restored on DOD sites; other Native stories still missing
Navajo Code Talker links restored on DOD sites; other Native stories still missing Show Caption Hide Caption Navajo Code Talkers Day celebration at the Arizona Capitol in Phoenix Sen. Theresa Hatathlie speaks and WWII Navajo Code Talker Thomas H. Begay speaks - and sings - at the Navajo Code Talkers Day celebration in Phoenix. Arizona Republic The Defense Department scrubbed histories of Navajo Code Talkers from some of its websites but said the information would be returned. The Defense Department told Navajo leaders the Code Talker items were removed as part of an automated review of materials that could violate Trump DEI policies. Other Native stories are still missing, including mentions of Ira Hayes, one of the Marines photographed raising the flag at Iwo Jima, and Hopi soldier Lori Piestewa. After widespread public scrutiny, the U.S. Department of Defense and Army restored some articles about the Navajo Code Talkers on Wednesday after previously removing them. Links to Navajo Code Talker articles on the websites were noticeably broken and unavailable on Monday, but by Wednesday, certain links were working, and the articles had been restored. Articles on individual Navajo Army soldiers as well as articles on Native American Heritage month continued to be broken and not accessible. The Code Talkers histories were scrubbed from the Pentagon websites as part of a review of materials that violated President Donald Trump's order regarding diversity, equity and inclusion. The Navajo Nation Council posted on its social media feeds that the content was restored on the Department of Defense websites after assurances to President Buu Nygren that the materials would be available. It wasn't clear at the time when the materials would be restored. "The restoration of the Navajo Code Talkers' articles is a necessary step, but it does not erase the harm caused by their initial removal," said Navajo Nation Speaker Crystalyne Curley. "The service of the Code Talkers was crucial to the success of World War II, and their legacy must be continually recognized and honored, beyond any political agenda." The Navajo Nation Council had voiced its opposition to the removal of content honoring the Navajo Code Talkers. The council said the Pentagon acknowledged the removal was a "mistake." Nygren credited the Navajo Nation's Washington Office for its advocacy and a letter to the Department of Defense. "I want to assure the Navajo people that we remain in close communication with federal officials to ensure the legacy of our cherished Navajo Code Talkers is never erased from American and Navajo history," Nygren said. "As sovereign nations, we are not defined by DEI classifications. We are political sovereigns with treaties and a long-standing relationship with the U.S. government." DEI fallout: Colleges cancel Native convocations to comply with Trump order, disappointing students Material about other Native soldiers removed The Defense Department said the removal resulted from an automated process complying with a DEI policy directive. While some pages had been restored, others remain offline, displaying server errors. The Pentagon has pledged to fully resolve the issue. Some links that lead to articles on individual Navajo soldiers or mention of Native American Heritage Month still aren't working on the Army page, suggesting that the removal falls in line with Trump's campaign against diversity, equity and inclusion. A Feb 26. memo from Sean Parnell, assistant to the secretary of defense, ordered Pentagon departments to "take all practicable steps, consistent with records management requirements, to remove all DoD news and feature articles, photos, and videos that promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)." He gave them a deadline of March 5. The memo said all articles, photos and videos removed from the websites and social media platforms must be "archived and retained in accordance with applicable records management policies." It wasn't just the Navajo Code Talker links that were broken: Items about other notable Native American military members were also removed from the Defense website, including one on Ira Hayes, a Pima/Akimel O'odham Marine from Sacaton. Hayes was one of the Marines famously photographed raising the flag at Iwo Jima in World War II. Some items about Army Spc. Lori Piestewa, a Hopi soldier who was the first Native American woman to die in combat on foreign soil, were also removed. She was killed in 2003 in Iraq when a rocket-propelled grenade struck her vehicle during an ambush. Gila River Indian Community Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis said the removal of Native American veterans, such as Ira Hayes, is unacceptable and unfortunate. "To be clear, recognizing the patriotism and courage of Native American soldiers has nothing to do with any type of DEl initiative," Lewis said. "It's simply an offering of respect for extraordinary service and bravery in the line of duty. Every single reference that has been scrubbed should be returned to these websites as soon as possible." Fallout: DOD, Army websites scrub articles on Navajo Code Talkers. Here's how that may change Arlyssa D. Becenti covers Indigenous affairs for The Arizona Republic and Send ideas and tips to
