Let鈥檚 Talk New Mexico, 8/21/25, 8am: In early June, the Trump Administration proposed a significant reduction in federal funding for tribal colleges and universities as part of its fiscal year 2026 . This proposal calls for cutting funding to postsecondary programs under the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) from the current $183 million in 2025 to just $22 million in 2026, a nearly 90% reduction. These cuts are included in the Department of the Interior鈥檚 budget brief but have not yet been enacted by Congress.
On the next Let鈥檚 Talk New Mexico we鈥檒l ask, where does this leave our region鈥檚 tribal colleges and universities? We鈥檒l talk to academic and political leaders and Indian law attorneys to see how these federal cuts will impact students, staff, faculty and the communities they serve. We鈥檒l also explore the complexities of tribal obligations and treaties between federally recognized tribes and the government. Share your thoughts at letstalk@kunm.org, leave a voice message by clicking the link above, or call in live at (505) 277-5866 Thursday morning at 8.
Guests:
- U.S. Rep. (D)
- Shelly Lowe (Navajo), President,
- Milton Bluehouse Jr. (Navajo), Associate Professor,
- Sherri Thomas (Taos Pueblo), Director, University of New Mexico School of Law
