Gallego & Kelly Call for Accountability Over Bureau of Indian Affairs Closure in Phoenix

Concerns are mounting regarding President Donald Trump’s plan to close the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) office in Phoenix. Arizona U.S. Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego have formally voiced their disapproval in a letter addressed to the General Services Administration (GSA), urging a reconsideration of this decision.

The Phoenix BIA office is strategically situated on Central Avenue, south of Thomas Road, serving 53 tribes in the western region, with 20 of those located in Arizona. The lease for this office is set to terminate on August 31.

In their correspondence, the senators emphasized the potential adverse effects of the closure. “Its closure will severely limit access for all of these tribes to essential services ranging from economic development to child social services to water system improvements,” they noted.

They also questioned the selection process for the Phoenix office’s closure and whether the decision had been thoroughly evaluated for its implications. The BIA plays a crucial role in working with tribal governments and members, administering a variety of programs including employment assistance, natural resources management, and law enforcement services.

Additional BIA offices in Arizona facing closure include a law enforcement facility in Fredonia and an airport terminal building in Show Low.

In their letter, Senators Kelly and Gallego posed several critical questions to the GSA, seeking clarity on how services will continue for the tribes and whether the federal government’s trust responsibilities to these tribes were adequately considered in making this decision. They requested a response by March 21.

“We are very concerned that this office closure is the latest in a long string of arbitrary attacks on the fundamental functions of the federal government,” the senators stated. “The federal government is at serious risk of failing at its most basic obligations, including breaking long-held promises to tribes.”