AKWESASNE – (Ohiaríha/June 12, 2025) Saint Regis Mohawk college students filed a suit requesting a Preliminary Injunction in United States District Court, Northern District of New York, to stop the United States Department of Education from implementing changes made to the criteria used by colleges and universities to determine eligibility of Mohawk students born in Canada to access financial support for their pursuit of higher education through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process. These changes were made by the Department of Education in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security, but without consultation with tribes whose members are impacted.
For years, verification of eligibility for Federal financial aid was issued by the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Clerk’s Office. This was considered sufficient evidence of eligibility. The newly imposed verification process places additional requirements on tribal members to obtain a “green card” or U.S. Passport to satisfy eligibility requirements for financial aid and places an unjust additional burden on students who are already navigating significant barriers to pursuing higher education.
Tribal Council shares, “Our people have been burdened by this imaginary line drawn across our lands for centuries. This action came without any notice or opportunity for tribal governments to weigh in on the impacts of these additional requirements, leaving some students who had planned to attend college in the fall without access to the federal financial aid that they are entitled to. We have never been required to apply for permission to live, work, or attend school on either side of this line.”
The Tribe's Education Division has been working with the Tribe’s Office of General Counsel to identify students directly affected by this change in policy to ensure that their right to cross freely and live on either side of the border is protected. “Our Mohawk students, along with other Native people born in Canada are unfairly targeted with the new requirement issued by the Department of Education in obtaining financial assistance for college. This has impacted many of our students’ dreams of earning a college degree. Our students must have access to all available resources to help them achieve their college and career goals,” shares Stephanie Cook, Education Division Director, Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe.
To stay up-to-date on this case and all other tribe news, please visit our website: www.srmt-nsn.gov.