AKWESASNE – (Onerahtohkó:wa/June 11, 2025) Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal members filed Complaints and Emergency Motions for Preliminary Injunction in United States District Court, Northern District of New York, against the United States Department of Education for changes made to the criteria used by colleges and universities to determine eligibility of tribally enrolled 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 without consultation with tribes whose members are impacted.
For years, verification of tribal enrollment by the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Clerk’s Office 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 this additional requirement. 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 and the Tribe’s Office of General Counsel will be working together to ensure that the students directly affected by these policies have a voice in the lawsuit and that their experiences are fully represented in the legal process. “Our Mohawk students have been unfairly targeted with the current 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.
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