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{{Indigenous rights}}
The '''Bureau of Indian Affairs''' ('''BIA'''), also known as '''Indian Affairs''' ('''IA'''),<ref name="About Us {{!}} Indian Affairs">{{Cite web|title=About Us {{!}} Indian Affairs|url=https://www.bia.gov/about-us|access-date=2020-12-12|website=bia.gov}}</ref> is a United States [[List of United States federal agencies|federal agency]] within the [[U.S. Department of the Interior|Department of the Interior]]. It is responsible for implementing federal laws and policies related to [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]] and [[Alaska Natives]], and administering and managing over {{convert|55700000|acre|km2|sigfig=3}} of [[Indian reservation|reservations]] [[Trust law|held in trust]] by the [[Federal government of the United States|U.S. federal government]] for [[List of federally recognized tribes|indigenous tribes]]. It renders services to roughly 2 million indigenous Americans across 574 federally recognized tribes.<ref name="About Us {{!}} Indian Affairs" /><ref>"[https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-07-23/pdf/2018-15679.pdf Federal Register, Volume 83, Number 141 dated July 23, 2018]" (PDF). ''Library of Congress''. RetrievedOctober 5, 2018.</ref> The BIA is governed by a director and overseen by the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, who answers to the [[United States Secretary of the Interior|Secretary of the Interior]].
 
The '''Bureau of Indian Affairs''' ('''BIA'''), also known as '''Indian Affairs''' ('''IA'''),<ref name="About Us {{!}} Indian Affairs">{{Cite web|title=About Us {{!}} Indian Affairs|url=https://www.bia.gov/about-us|access-date=2020-12-12|website=bia.gov}}</ref> is a United States [[List of United States federal agencies|federal agency]] within the [[U.S. Department of the Interior|Department of the Interior]]. It is responsible for implementing [[Federal law (United States)|federal laws]] and policies related to [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]] and [[Alaska Natives]], and administering and managing over {{convert|55700000|acre|km2|sigfig=3}} of [[Indian reservation|reservations]] [[Trust law|held in trust]] by the [[Federal government of the United States|U.S. federal government]] for [[List of federally recognized tribes|indigenous tribes]]. It renders services to roughly 2 million indigenous Americans across 574 federally recognized tribes.<ref name="About Us {{!}} Indian Affairs"/><ref>"[https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-07-23/pdf/2018-15679.pdf Federal Register, Volume 83, Number 141 dated July 23, 2018]" (PDF). ''Library of Congress''. RetrievedOctober 5, 2018.</ref> The BIA is governed by a director and overseen by the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, who answers to the [[United States Secretary of the Interior|Secretary of the Interior]].


The BIA works with [[Tribal sovereignty in the United States|tribal governments]] to help administer law enforcement and justice; promote development in agriculture, infrastructure, and the economy; enhance tribal governance; manage natural resources; and generally advance the quality of life in tribal communities.<ref name="bia.gov">{{Cite web|title=Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) {{!}} Indian Affairs|url=https://www.bia.gov/bia|access-date=2020-12-12|website=bia.gov}}</ref> Educational services are provided by [[Bureau of Indian Education]]—the only other agency under the Assistant Secretary for Indian affairs—while health care is the responsibility of the [[U.S. Department of Health and Human Services]] through its [[Indian Health Service]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Education {{!}} Indian Affairs|url=https://www.bia.gov/education|access-date=2020-12-04|website=bia.gov}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Indian Health Service {{!}} Indian Health Service (IHS)|url=https://www.ihs.gov/default/|access-date=2020-12-04|website=Indian Health Service|language=en}}</ref>
The BIA works with [[Tribal sovereignty in the United States|tribal governments]] to help administer law enforcement and justice; promote development in agriculture, infrastructure, and the economy; enhance tribal governance; manage natural resources; and generally advance the quality of life in tribal communities.<ref name="bia.gov">{{Cite web|title=Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) {{!}} Indian Affairs|url=https://www.bia.gov/bia|access-date=2020-12-12|website=bia.gov}}</ref> Educational services are provided by [[Bureau of Indian Education]]—the only other agency under the Assistant Secretary for Indian affairs—while health care is the responsibility of the [[U.S. Department of Health and Human Services]] through its [[Indian Health Service]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Education {{!}} Indian Affairs|url=https://www.bia.gov/education|access-date=2020-12-04|website=bia.gov}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Indian Health Service {{!}} Indian Health Service (IHS)|url=https://www.ihs.gov/default/|access-date=2020-12-04|website=Indian Health Service|language=en}}</ref>


The BIA is one of the oldest federal agencies in the U.S., with roots tracing back to the Committee on Indian Affairs established by Congress in 1775.<ref name="bia.gov"/><ref>Article I, Section 8, ''[[Constitution of the United States|U.S. Constitution]].''</ref> First headed by [[Benjamin Franklin]], the committee oversaw trade and treaty relations with various indigenous peoples, until the establishment of the Bureau of Indian Affairs by [[United States Secretary of War|Secretary of War]] [[John C. Calhoun]] in 1824. The BIA gained statutory authority in 1832, and in 1849 was transferred to the newly created Department of the Interior. Until the formal adoption of its current name in 1947, the BIA was variably known as the Indian office, the Indian bureau, the Indian department, and the Indian Service.<ref name="bia.gov"/>
The BIA is one of the oldest federal agencies in the U.S., with roots tracing back to the Committee on Indian Affairs established by Congress in 1775.<ref name="bia.gov"/><ref>Article I, Section 8, ''[[Constitution of the United States|U.S. Constitution]].''</ref> First headed by Benjamin Franklin, the committee oversaw trade and treaty relations with various indigenous peoples, until the establishment of the Bureau of Indian Affairs by Secretary of War John C. Calhoun in 1824. The BIA gained statutory authority in 1832, and in 1849 was transferred to the newly created Department of the Interior. Until the formal adoption of its current name in 1947, the BIA was variably known as the Indian office, the Indian bureau, the Indian department, and the Indian Service.<ref name="bia.gov"/>


The BIA's mission and mandate historically reflected the U.S. government's prevailing policy of [[Forced assimilation of Native Americans|forced assimilation]] of native peoples and the annexation of their land; beginning with the [[Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975|Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act]] of 1975, the BIA has increasingly emphasized [[Self-determination|tribal self-determination]] and peer-to-peer relationships between tribal governments and federal government.<ref name="bia.gov"/>
The BIA's mission and mandate historically reflected the U.S. government's prevailing policy of [[Forced assimilation of Native Americans|forced assimilation]] of native peoples and the annexation of their land; beginning with the [[Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975|Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act]] of 1975, the BIA has increasingly emphasized [[Self-determination|tribal self-determination]] and peer-to-peer relationships between tribal governments and federal government.<ref name="bia.gov"/>
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The BIA oversees 574 [[federally recognized tribes]] through four offices:
The BIA oversees 574 [[federally recognized tribes]] through four offices:


* Office of Indian Services: operates the BIA's general assistance, disaster relief, Indian child welfare, tribal government, Indian self-determination, and [[Indian Reservation Roads Program]].
* [[Office of Indian Services]]: operates the BIA's general assistance, disaster relief, Indian child welfare, tribal government, Indian self-determination, and [[Indian Reservation Roads Program]].
* Office of Justice Services (OJS): directly operates or funds law enforcement, tribal courts, and detention facilities on federal Indian lands.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hegyi |first=Nate |date=2022-12-23 |title=Congress tasks a federal watchdog to examine Indian Affairs' troubled tribal jails |language=en |work=NPR News |url=https://www.npr.org/2022/12/23/1145270909/congress-spending-bill-bureau-indian-affairs-tribal-jails-watchdog |access-date=2022-12-24}}</ref> OJS funded 208&nbsp;law enforcement agencies, consisting of 43 BIA-operated [[BIA Police|police]] agencies, and 165&nbsp;tribally operated agencies under contract, or compact with the OJS. The office has seven areas of activity: Criminal Investigations and Police Services, Detention/Corrections, Inspection/Internal Affairs, Tribal Law Enforcement and Special Initiatives, the Indian Police Academy, Tribal Justice Support, and Program Management. The OJS also provides oversight and technical assistance to tribal law enforcement programs when and where requested. It operates four divisions: Corrections, Drug Enforcement, the [[Indian Police Academy]], and Law Enforcement.<ref>[http://www.bia.gov/WhoWeAre/BIA/OJS/index.htm "Who We Are"], BIA</ref>
* [[Office of Justice Services]] (OJS): directly operates or funds law enforcement, tribal courts, and detention facilities on federal Indian lands.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hegyi |first=Nate |date=2022-12-23 |title=Congress tasks a federal watchdog to examine Indian Affairs' troubled tribal jails |language=en |work=NPR News |url=https://www.npr.org/2022/12/23/1145270909/congress-spending-bill-bureau-indian-affairs-tribal-jails-watchdog |access-date=2022-12-24}}</ref> OJS funded 208&nbsp;law enforcement agencies, consisting of 43 BIA-operated [[BIA Police|police]] agencies, and 165&nbsp;tribally operated agencies under contract, or compact with the OJS. The office has seven areas of activity: Criminal Investigations and Police Services, Detention/Corrections, Inspection/Internal Affairs, Tribal Law Enforcement and Special Initiatives, the Indian Police Academy, Tribal Justice Support, and Program Management. The OJS also provides oversight and technical assistance to tribal law enforcement programs when and where requested. It operates four divisions: Corrections, Drug Enforcement, the [[Indian Police Academy]], and Law Enforcement.<ref>[http://www.bia.gov/WhoWeAre/BIA/OJS/index.htm "Who We Are"], BIA</ref>
* Office of Trust Services: works with tribes and individual American Indians and Alaska Natives in the management of their trust lands, assets, and resources.
* [[Office of Trust Services]]: works with tribes and individual American Indians and Alaska Natives in the management of their trust lands, assets, and resources.
* The Office of Field Operations: oversees 12&nbsp;regional offices; Alaska, Great Plains, Northwest, Southern Plains, Eastern, Navajo, Pacific, Southwest, Eastern Oklahoma, Midwest, Rocky Mountain, and Western; and 83&nbsp;agencies, which carry out the mission of the bureau at the tribal level.
* The Office of Field Operations: oversees 12&nbsp;regional offices; Alaska, Great Plains, Northwest, Southern Plains, Eastern, Navajo, Pacific, Southwest, Eastern Oklahoma, Midwest, Rocky Mountain, and Western; and 83&nbsp;agencies, which carry out the mission of the bureau at the tribal level.


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