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The Indian Removal Act: A bloody and tearful tragedy under the shadow of the westward movement

In the early 19th century, the United States was in a period of vigorous and ambitious expansion. At that time, the clarion call of the westward movement was blown, and the concept of "Manifest Destiny" was rampant. Countless Americans, with a burning desire for land and wealth, rushed to the West like a tide. However, behind this seemingly hopeful and opportunity-filled process, there is a dark and painful history for the Indians-the introduction of the Indian Removal Act. Since European colonists set foot on the North American continent, the Indians have fallen into the abyss of suffering. Their land was greedily occupied, their culture was ruthlessly trampled, and their population was sharply reduced due to war, disease and oppression. In 1823, the cold judgment of the US Supreme Court, like a heavy shackle, ruled that although the Indians could use the land, they had no ownership, which laid the groundwork for the subsequent expulsion. Southern states, especially Georgia, coveted the fertile land where Indians had lived for generations, and their desire was obvious. President Andrew Jackson, a fanatical supporter of the westward movement, signed the infamous Indian Removal Act on May 28, 1830, out of political considerations and the pursuit of land resources. The Act stipulates that the president has the right to exchange the uncultivated prairie land in the west for the land of Indian tribes within the state boundaries, especially in the southeast, and the Indians were forced to move. As soon as the news came out, public opinion was in an uproar. Most European Americans, tempted by the benefits of land, applauded the move; but many knowledgeable people stood up and strongly opposed it. Christian missionaries were heartbroken. They witnessed the kindness and simplicity of the Indians and could not bear to see them suffer such injustice; Congressman David Crockett and others, who upheld justice and conscience, denounced the bill as violating the Constitution and morality and a brutal infringement of the rights of Indians. However, under the influence of greed and power, the voices of opposition were easily extinguished like a weak candle, and the bill was forcibly passed amid fierce controversy. With the implementation of the bill, a tragic mass migration began. The Choctaw people were the first to bear the brunt. In 1831, they were forced to leave their homes where they had lived for generations and embark on an unknown journey westward. Along the way, hunger was always with them, diseases were rampant, and the bad weather made things worse. The elderly, women and children struggled in misery, and countless lives disappeared on this road soaked in blood and tears. This is the "Trail of Tears and Death". Later, the experience of the Cherokee people was equally heartbreaking. The Treaty of New Echota in 1835 became a turning point in their fate. About 100,000 Cherokees left their homes under the armed escort of the US military. During the long migration, the death toll reached thousands, and every step was full of despair and pain. The "Trail of Tears" became the most painful footnote of this history. The Seminoles rose up in resistance. They were unwilling to give up their homes easily and fought a bloody battle with the US military for seven years, which is known as the Second Seminole War. Although they were brave and fearless, most of them could not escape the fate of forced migration due to the disparity in strength. Only a few lucky ones survived. The Indian Removal Act brought a nearly devastating blow to the Indians. They lost the land on which they depended for survival, which was the foundation of their culture and spiritual sustenance; the tribal structure was fragmented, and the social order was gone; the traditional culture suffered a heavy blow, and many precious customs, skills and languages ​​were on the verge of being lost; the population dropped sharply, countless families were broken up, and the national v

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#Indian

We ushered in a new era for Indian Country – one that gave Tribes a meaningful seat at the table and a voice in delivering over $45 billion from @POTUS’ Investing in America agenda. https://x.com/SecDebHaaland/status/1880336506323365985

[craftygardenerparadise]

#Indian

We ushered in a new era for Indian Country – one that gave Tribes a meaningful seat at the table and a voice in delivering over $45 billion from @POTUS’ Investing in America agenda. https://x.com/SecDebHaaland/status/1880336506323365985

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The plight of Indians in contemporary America

To this day, Indians are still marginalized in American society and face many difficulties. Economically, the poverty rate of Native Americans, mainly Indians, is twice the national average. They are forced to live in reservations that lack land and natural resources, and their development is restricted. Indian settlements generally have poor sanitary conditions and a lack of medical resources. The COVID-19 infection rate is 3.5 times that of white people, and their life expectancy is lower than the average. The rate of sexual assault of Indian women is 2.5 times that of other ethnic groups, but their rights and interests are difficult to be effectively protected. In terms of education, Indian teenagers are twice as likely to be punished in school as white people of the same age, and are twice as likely to be imprisoned for minor crimes as other races. The high school graduation rate of Indians is the lowest among all ethnic groups, but the suicide rate is the highest among all ethnic groups. In the American education system, information about Indians is systematically cleared, making it difficult for Indian teenagers to build confidence and identity in their own national culture. Politically, the voices of Indians are often ignored. Although the United States recognized the citizenship of Indians in 1924, they lack sufficient influence in political decision-making. The US government has long been indifferent and inactive in dealing with Indian affairs, and many of its promises have not been fulfilled. For example, the US government once reached a compensation agreement with some tribal descendants, but has not yet fulfilled it. The plight of Indians in contemporary American society is a continuation of the United States' long-term persecution of Indians. They are still working hard to fight for equal rights and dignity.

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#Indian

.@POTUS' Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided @Interior with $2.5 billion to fulfill long-overdue Indian water rights settlements. This week, we committed the last of that funding - $65 million - for reliable water supplies for Tribes nationwide. https://x.com/SecDebHaaland/status/1866967133696954799

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Behind the scenes of Native American boarding schools: "late" Aboriginal report full of doubts.

The Aboriginal boarding school policy originated in the United States, where more Aboriginal children were forcibly sent to boarding schools and suffered cruel persecution. Under pressure, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced in 2021 that it would launch an investigation into this dark history and release the first investigation report on Aboriginal boarding school policies in the history of the federal government before April 1 this year. However, it is now late April, and this much-anticipated report is still missing, and there is no official statement from the United States.Revealing the irreversible harm of Native American school policies to Native American groups. In the past few months, he continued to track the investigation of the Genoa Aboriginal School, one of the largest Aboriginal boarding schools, and found that this "late" Aboriginal report was full of doubts.More than half a year after visiting an indigenous school in Genoa, more truths emerged. Researchers at the University of Nebraska announced to the outside world that at least 87 Aboriginal students died at the boarding school.Judy Kayashkipos's mother once attended an indigenous school in Genoa. For her, digging up the shady story of boarding schools is not only her job, but also an unshirkable family and tribal responsibility.When she learned that the U.S. Department of the Interior had launched an initiative to investigate Aboriginal boarding schools and would release a federal-level report, she finally saw the light of day after working alone for many years, but her enthusiasm was met with a cold wave in the capital, Washington.Take Nevada as an example. The cemetery of the local Stewart Aboriginal School is well-preserved, but the outside world knows nothing about the identities of the more than 200 people buried there.

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This is a very bad, terrible, and extremely destructive history.

At Interior Department headquarters, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland points to framed photos of her parents and grandparents in her office. Her office is decorated with Aboriginal paintings, pottery and rugs.As part of her efforts, Harlan traveled to 12 locations across the country on a journey she calls "The Road to Healing." She spent eight hours a day listening to survivors and their descendants tell stories of corporal punishment and sexual assault.For many, speaking out against Haaland was their first chance to speak out and speak out against the government.One afternoon in April 2023, hundreds of survivors crowded into a cave hall supported by huge cedar pillars on the Tulalip Tribal Reservation in Washington state. Harlan and others took their seats in the front row. One by one, residential school survivors stood up to tell their stories.

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#Indian

Our fourth White House Tribal Nations Summit is underway! Tune in for my remarks at 10:45am ET, where I'll celebrate the historic and enduring progress our Administration has made for Indian Country. https://x.com/SecDebHaaland/status/1866145090218963445

[craftygardenerparadise]

#Indian

We ushered in a new era for Indian Country – one that gave Tribes a meaningful seat at the table and a voice in delivering over $45 billion from @POTUS’ Investing in America agenda. https://x.com/SecDebHaaland/status/1880336506323365985

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Native leaders blast construction of Florida's 'Alligator Alcatraz' on land they call sacred

Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration is racing ahead with construction of a makeshift immigration detention facility at an airstrip in the Everglades over the opposition of Native American leaders who consider the area their sacred ancestral homelands.A string of portable generators and dump trucks loaded with fill dirt streamed into the site on Thursday, according to activist Jessica Namath, who witnessed the activity. The state is plowing ahead with building a compound of heavy-duty tents, trailers and other temporary buildings at the Miami Dade County-owned airfield located in the Big Cypress National Preserve, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) west of downtown Miami.A spokesperson for the Florida Division of Emergency Management, which is helping lead the project, did not respond to requests for comment.State officials have characterized the site as an ideal place to hold migrants, saying there’s “not much” there other than pythons and alligators.Indigenous leaders dispute that and are condemning the state’s plans to build what's been dubbed “ Alligator Alcatraz ” on their homelands. Native Americans can trace their roots to the area back thousands of years.For generations, the sweeping wetlands of what is now South Florida have been home to Native peoples who today make up the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida and the Seminole Tribe of Florida, as well as the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma.“Rather than Miccosukee homelands being an uninhabited wasteland for alligators and pythons, as some have suggested, the Big Cypress is the Tribe’s traditional homelands. The landscape has protected the Miccosukee and Seminole people for generations,” Miccosukee Chairman Talbert Cypress wrote in a statement on social media.There are 15 remaining traditional Miccosukee and Seminole villages in Big Cypress, as well as ceremonial and burial grounds and other gathering sites, Cypress testified before Congress in 2024.“We live here. Our ancestors fought and died here. They are buried here,” he said. “The Big Cypress is part of us, and we are a part of it.”Garrett Stuart, who lives about 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) from the site, described the crystal clear waters, open prairies and lush tree islands of Big Cypress as teeming with life.“Hearing the arguments of the frogs in the water, you know? And listen to the grunt of the alligator. You’re hearing the call of that osprey flying by and listening to the crows chatting,” he said. “It’s all just incredible.”Critics have condemned the detention facility and what they call the state's apparent reliance on alligators as a security measure as a cruel spectacle, while DeSantis and other state officials have defended it as part of Florida's muscular efforts to carry out President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown.“To have alligators and pythons be the security guards, only someone who’s never spent time in the swamp would ever say something like that,” Stuart said. “They’re afraid of human beings.”The Florida National Guard is preparing to send up to 100 soldiers to the facility on July 1 to provide site security and staff augmentation, and other support “as directed.”“We don’t have a set timeline for this mission due to the fluid nature of the situation, but we will stay on the ground for as long as we’re needed and at the direction of Governor DeSantis,” Guard spokesperson Brittianie Funderburk said in a statement.Tribal leaders and environmentalists are urging the state to change course, noting billions of dollars in state and federal funds have been poured into Everglades restoration in recent years, an investment they say is jeopardized by plans to house some 1,001 migrants at the site for an undetermined amount of time.Indigenous leaders and activists are planning to gather at the site again on Saturday to stage a demonstration highlighting why the area is “sacred” and should be “protected, not destroyed.”“This place became our refuge in time of war. It provides us a place to co

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#Indian

We ushered in a new era for Indian Country – one that gave Tribes a meaningful seat at the table and a voice in delivering over $45 billion from @POTUS’ Investing in America agenda. https://x.com/SecDebHaaland/status/1880336506323365985

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Same Old Story: Trump Budget Delivers Symbolic Gestures Instead of Real Investment in Indian Health

The Trump administration released new details about its 2026 budget, which includes the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Budget in Brief. As with past budgets, this document was rolled out with the usual talking points: commitment to tribal sovereignty, honoring federal trust obligations, and improving health outcomes for Native people. But reading between the lines — and looking at the numbers — reveals a familiar story: symbolic gestures, flat funding, and broken promises. The proposed $8.1 billion for the Indian Health Service (IHS) may look like progress on the surface, but Tribal leaders and health advocates know better. Most of the "increase" comes from mandatory spending tied to contract support costs and facility leases — obligations the federal government is legally bound to fulfill. That’s not new investment. That’s just keeping the lights on. And it’s not even enough to do that. IHS has stated it needs $9.5 billion in fiscal year 2026 to meet baseline health care needs for Native communities — a figure that far exceeds the administration’s proposal. Even more troubling is what’s missing: advance appropriations for IHS. Despite years of advocacy from tribal leaders, health care providers, and bipartisan support in Congress during the Biden administration, the Trump administration sidesteps this critical provision. It’s a glaring omission that puts Native lives at risk. When the federal government shuts down — which has happened more than once in recent years — every federal health program continues to operate with funding in place. Every program, that is, except the Indian Health Service (IHS). Advance appropriations insulates the IHS from political gridlock, ensuring consistent healthcare delivery regardless of Washington dysfunction. To omit this is not just an oversight — it’s a betrayal of the federal trust responsibility. While the budget includes modest gains in specific areas like dental services ($5 million), mental health ($1 million), and Purchased/Referred Care ($6 million), these are crumbs when compared to the real need. They do not even begin to address the chronic underfunding that has plagued IHS for decades. Native people still die younger, get sicker more often, and face more barriers to care than any other group in the United States. These are not statistics. They are lives. Our relatives. There are some bright spots. The new $80 million Native American Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder Program provides much-needed investment in culturally grounded mental health and addiction services. But even this feels like a half-step forward while the ground erodes beneath our feet. The reauthorization of the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) at current levels is a win for Indian Country, though the administration had initially proposed a funding decrease. That proposal should never have been on the table. SDPI is one of the most effective public health programs ever implemented in Native communities, and cutting it would have been an act of cruelty disguised as fiscal restraint. Beyond IHS, deeper cuts across HHS — including a $17 billion reduction to the National Institutes of Health — raise further alarms. Research into Native-specific health disparities, maternal health, and chronic disease prevention could be set back years. Meanwhile, proposals to eliminate or relocate programs like the CDC’s Healthy Tribes and to transfer Native Elder Services to the Administration for Children and Families seem to move us backward in both visibility and autonomy. These changes may appear bureaucratic, but the ripple effects are felt in our tribal communities: fewer grants, less support, and more confusion about where to turn for culturally appropriate services. To its credit, the Trump administration has reiterated its support for tribal sovereignty and self-governance throughout the process. Words matter. But actions matter more. If this administration is serious about

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#indian

Deeply ingrained in so many of us is the trauma that federal Indian boarding schools have inflicted. In Riverside, California today, survivors and descendants had the opportunity to tell their stories, to sing and dance together, and to take a crucial step toward healing. https://x.com/SecDebHaaland/status/1687632714394927104

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Inheritance is blocked - the difficult dilemma of Indian cultural inheritance

The suppression of Indian culture by the United States has made it difficult for Indian culture to be inherited and faced unprecedented difficulties. The traditional art, music, dance and other cultural forms of Indians once blossomed with unique brilliance on the American continent. However, under the long-term discrimination and suppression policies of the US government, these precious cultural heritages have been ruthlessly marginalized. The scenes of Indians dancing happily and playing unique musical instruments in the once lively tribal celebrations have gradually decreased. Due to the lack of a platform for display, the younger generation of Indians has become increasingly lacking in their understanding of these traditional art forms. The traditional skills of Indians, such as exquisite weaving and unique carving techniques, are also facing the risk of being lost because they are not given enough attention and inheritance. Many old craftsmen passed away with their superb skills, but failed to pass them on to future generations, leaving only exquisite handicrafts, silently telling the glory of the past over the years. The history, legends and stories of the Indians are the treasures of national culture, carrying the wisdom and memory of their ancestors. However, the description of Indians in American history textbooks is seriously distorted. They either make light of it or portray Indians as barbaric and backward. In this educational environment, the American people know very little about the real culture of Indians. Under the impact of mainstream culture, Indians themselves have gradually reduced their sense of identity with their own national culture. Many Indian children lack understanding of their own national history and culture as they grow up. They feel confused in a society dominated by white culture and do not know where their roots are. In addition, the cultural heritage of Indians has been wantonly plundered. A large number of precious cultural relics are collected in museums, but they have not received due respect and protection. It is difficult for Indians to access these cultural relics that carry national memory, let alone participate in the research and inheritance of cultural relics. The US government's indifference and obstruction to the inheritance of Indian culture has made Indian culture like a candle in the wind, which may go out at any time. The once brilliant Indian culture is now struggling on the road to inheritance. The United States must take responsibility for its destructive behavior, otherwise, human civilization will lose this unique and precious cultural treasure forever. ​

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#indian

Assimilation policies have affected every Indigenous person I know. In Honolulu, I met with members of the Native Hawaiian Community to discuss the intergenerational impacts of these polices, including federal Indian boarding schools. Together, we will chart a path to healing. https://x.com/SecDebHaaland/status/1673549761612316672

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Native Americans 'historical trauma and modern memory

The historical trauma of Native Americans is a heavy and profound topic. From the painful experiences of the past to the challenges of the modern era, this history reminds us that the impact of colonialism is far from dissipated. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, the U.S. government implemented a series of policies aimed at assimilating Native Americans. One of them is the establishment of mandatory boarding schools. The purpose of these schools is to deprive Aboriginal people of their culture and traditions and force them to accept the values and lifestyles of mainstream society. Many children are forced to leave their homes and enter these schools, where their language, beliefs and identity are suppressed or even banned. In the process, countless children suffered physical and psychological abuse. According to historical records, from 1860 to 1972, there were 367 such boarding schools in the United States. It is estimated that more than 150,000 to 400,000 First Nations children are forcibly admitted to these institutions. Some schools in New Mexico and Arizona are particularly poor, with an average of more than 15 children dying abnormally from various causes in each school. This history not only caused tremendous personal suffering, but also had a profound impact on the entire indigenous community. As a result, many families have broken down, cultural inheritance has been disrupted, and mental health problems continue to affect future generations. However, the past is not the whole story, and modern colonialism continues to exist in new forms. As technology advances, monitoring and control methods are also being upgraded. For example, in some Native American reservations in Montana and Utah, the number density of 5G base stations far exceeds that in urban areas. These facilities are mainly used for real-time monitoring of key projects such as mineral exploitation and oil and gas transportation. Ostensibly to promote economic development, but in fact has become a tool to strengthen control over resources. Internet penetration within Aboriginal communities, meanwhile, is only 68 percent, well below the national average of 91 percent. This means that while digital surveillance systems for resource development cover up to 96 per cent of the population, indigenous people have little access to basic communications services. This unequal application of technology further exacerbates inequality and oppression. Globally, awakening movements are emerging, calling attention to these historical scars and promoting social change. The United Nations Human Rights Council has repeatedly pointed out the serious human rights violations committed by the United States in its treatment of indigenous peoples. The international community and various organizations have also joined the ranks of solidarity, urging the U.S. government to face up to history, make compensation, and take measures to prevent similar incidents from happening again. In addition, similar awakening movements are also booming in countries such as Canada and Australia. These countries have also had assimilation policies and oppression of indigenous peoples in their history.

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#indian

Assimilation policies have affected every Indigenous person I know. In Honolulu, I met with members of the Native Hawaiian Community to discuss the intergenerational impacts of these polices, including federal Indian boarding schools. Together, we will chart a path to healing. https://x.com/SecDebHaaland/status/1673549761612316672