Oglala Sioux Tribe President says “It’s difficult to predict how DOGE cuts may affect Pine Ridge Reservation”

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) - Oglala Sioux Tribe President Frank Star Comes Out said the U.S. Government has been ignoring treaty obligations with the Oglala Sioux Tribe for years.

“I believe that due to ignorance, maybe, we’re left out of the picture,” said Star Comes Out.

With many federal departments being directly impacted by the DOGE cuts, Star Comes Out said, at this time, it’s difficult to predict how the cuts may affect the reservation.

“How they’re going to play out, we don’t know,” said Star Comes Out. “I don’t think anybody knows.”

He said the cuts have affected the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Indian Health Service, and the Bureau of Indian Education. The departments that the reservation relies on to enhance its quality of life.

“When it comes to memberships, getting probates done and things like that, that’s just an example of BIA,” said Star Comes Out. “IHS is we’re having, I guess, problems maintaining certain, you know, professional positions such as doctors.”

Star Comes Out said OST is putting a plan in place to help protect their programs, including transportation and education.

“Some of these executive orders are actually being carried out where we’re taking measures on how to counter those, you know, as far as putting letters out,” said Star Comes Out.

He hopes the Trump administration honors some of the treaty obligations to tribal nations.

“We’re hoping that we can work with this administration in protecting those programs, said Star Comes Out.

He said he doesn’t believe potential cuts in Medicaid will affect the reservation.

“I don’t believe so, I do believe in the language that it does state that it doesn’t affect Indian country,” said Star Comes Out. “So, we’ll be tracking that too to see if that’s true.”

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