Indian Affairs Staffing Fell 11% in 2025

The US Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) workforce shrunk 11% through the first 6 months of 2025, a result of executive orders, hiring freezes, a voluntary deferred resignation program (DRP), and terminations of probationary employees, according to a recently US Government Accountability Office (GAO) report. Though these reductions are complete, GAO said it has not yet analyzed projected cost savings or operational impacts from these staff reductions, and the department has shown signs of growth so far in 2026.

The reduction in force (RIF) from 7470 to 6624 employees aligns with the February 2025 executive order aimed at “restoring accountability, eliminating waste, bloat, and insularity” and reforming the federal workforce to maximize efficiency and productivity. The directives also instructed agencies to develop plans for large-scale RIFs and reorganizations. GAO auditors reviewed workforce data from January 25, 2025, through July 31, 2025, interviewed BIA officials, and reviewed comments from Native American tribal representatives to compose the report. 

All BIA regions experienced a reduction in staff: 10% in the Western and Rocky Mountain regions, 29% in the Pacific region, and > 20% each in the Alaska, Midwest, and Southern Plains regions. Positions within law enforcement and social work agencies were excluded from the May program due to job functions and responsibilities.

A small portion of separations included resignations and retirements outside of the DRPs; of the staff separating from BIA after January 25, 2025, while 24% left for other reasons. Although the downsizing was not unexpected and some staff were already planning to retire, repercussions were felt immediately.

“Some remaining staff took on additional responsibilities to mitigate the effects of reductions,” the GAO report said. “Some Indian Affairs staff said the reductions would exacerbate preexisting staffing limitations in their offices and make it more difficult to carry out their responsibilities serving Tribes.”

Tribal leaders voiced concerns, claiming BIA already was understaffed to effectively carry out its responsibilities and that service delivery was impaired. Some BIA staff reported that departures forced them to take on duties beyond their main area of responsibility, compromising their primary work. Regional BIA staff also described confusion about which employees were leaving, which limited their ability to effectively plan for impending departures, and reported receiving limited guidance from superiors about how to cover the responsibilities of those departing, particularly those in leadership positions. As of June 2, 2025, 6 of 12 BIA regional directors were serving in an acting capacity, and 12 of the 24 deputy regional director positions were either vacant or acting.

BIA officials have said there are no plans to reorganize or enact additional RIFs, but existing functions “might need to be restructured or realigned to achieve administration priorities.”

As of 2024, the Indiana Health Service (IHS) had a near 30% vacancy rate. In 2025, it awarded > 1800 scholarships and loan repayments under programs aimed at educating and training health professionals for careers at IHS facilities. And in January 2026, IHS announced it was launching the “largest hiring effort in agency history.”

“[O]ur top priority is filling vacancies for positions essential to keeping our health care facilities operating smoothly, especially in some of the more rural and remote locations,” said IHS Chief of Staff Clayton Fulton. 

The US Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) workforce shrunk 11% through the first 6 months of 2025, a result of executive orders, hiring freezes, a voluntary deferred resignation program (DRP), and terminations of probationary employees, according to a recently US Government Accountability Office (GAO) report. Though these reductions are complete, GAO said it has not yet analyzed projected cost savings or operational impacts from these staff reductions, and the department has shown signs of growth so far in 2026.

The reduction in force (RIF) from 7470 to 6624 employees aligns with the February 2025 executive order aimed at “restoring accountability, eliminating waste, bloat, and insularity” and reforming the federal workforce to maximize efficiency and productivity. The directives also instructed agencies to develop plans for large-scale RIFs and reorganizations. GAO auditors reviewed workforce data from January 25, 2025, through July 31, 2025, interviewed BIA officials, and reviewed comments from Native American tribal representatives to compose the report. 

All BIA regions experienced a reduction in staff: 10% in the Western and Rocky Mountain regions, 29% in the Pacific region, and > 20% each in the Alaska, Midwest, and Southern Plains regions. Positions within law enforcement and social work agencies were excluded from the May program due to job functions and responsibilities.

A small portion of separations included resignations and retirements outside of the DRPs; of the staff separating from BIA after January 25, 2025, while 24% left for other reasons. Although the downsizing was not unexpected and some staff were already planning to retire, repercussions were felt immediately.

“Some remaining staff took on additional responsibilities to mitigate the effects of reductions,” the GAO report said. “Some Indian Affairs staff said the reductions would exacerbate preexisting staffing limitations in their offices and make it more difficult to carry out their responsibilities serving Tribes.”

Tribal leaders voiced concerns, claiming BIA already was understaffed to effectively carry out its responsibilities and that service delivery was impaired. Some BIA staff reported that departures forced them to take on duties beyond their main area of responsibility, compromising their primary work. Regional BIA staff also described confusion about which employees were leaving, which limited their ability to effectively plan for impending departures, and reported receiving limited guidance from superiors about how to cover the responsibilities of those departing, particularly those in leadership positions. As of June 2, 2025, 6 of 12 BIA regional directors were serving in an acting capacity, and 12 of the 24 deputy regional director positions were either vacant or acting.

BIA officials have said there are no plans to reorganize or enact additional RIFs, but existing functions “might need to be restructured or realigned to achieve administration priorities.”

As of 2024, the Indiana Health Service (IHS) had a near 30% vacancy rate. In 2025, it awarded > 1800 scholarships and loan repayments under programs aimed at educating and training health professionals for careers at IHS facilities. And in January 2026, IHS announced it was launching the “largest hiring effort in agency history.”

“[O]ur top priority is filling vacancies for positions essential to keeping our health care facilities operating smoothly, especially in some of the more rural and remote locations,” said IHS Chief of Staff Clayton Fulton. 

The US Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) workforce shrunk 11% through the first 6 months of 2025, a result of executive orders, hiring freezes, a voluntary deferred resignation program (DRP), and terminations of probationary employees, according to a recently US Government Accountability Office (GAO) report. Though these reductions are complete, GAO said it has not yet analyzed projected cost savings or operational impacts from these staff reductions, and the department has shown signs of growth so far in 2026.

The reduction in force (RIF) from 7470 to 6624 employees aligns with the February 2025 executive order aimed at “restoring accountability, eliminating waste, bloat, and insularity” and reforming the federal workforce to maximize efficiency and productivity. The directives also instructed agencies to develop plans for large-scale RIFs and reorganizations. GAO auditors reviewed workforce data from January 25, 2025, through July 31, 2025, interviewed BIA officials, and reviewed comments from Native American tribal representatives to compose the report. 

All BIA regions experienced a reduction in staff: 10% in the Western and Rocky Mountain regions, 29% in the Pacific region, and > 20% each in the Alaska, Midwest, and Southern Plains regions. Positions within law enforcement and social work agencies were excluded from the May program due to job functions and responsibilities.

A small portion of separations included resignations and retirements outside of the DRPs; of the staff separating from BIA after January 25, 2025, while 24% left for other reasons. Although the downsizing was not unexpected and some staff were already planning to retire, repercussions were felt immediately.

“Some remaining staff took on additional responsibilities to mitigate the effects of reductions,” the GAO report said. “Some Indian Affairs staff said the reductions would exacerbate preexisting staffing limitations in their offices and make it more difficult to carry out their responsibilities serving Tribes.”

Tribal leaders voiced concerns, claiming BIA already was understaffed to effectively carry out its responsibilities and that service delivery was impaired. Some BIA staff reported that departures forced them to take on duties beyond their main area of responsibility, compromising their primary work. Regional BIA staff also described confusion about which employees were leaving, which limited their ability to effectively plan for impending departures, and reported receiving limited guidance from superiors about how to cover the responsibilities of those departing, particularly those in leadership positions. As of June 2, 2025, 6 of 12 BIA regional directors were serving in an acting capacity, and 12 of the 24 deputy regional director positions were either vacant or acting.

BIA officials have said there are no plans to reorganize or enact additional RIFs, but existing functions “might need to be restructured or realigned to achieve administration priorities.”

As of 2024, the Indiana Health Service (IHS) had a near 30% vacancy rate. In 2025, it awarded > 1800 scholarships and loan repayments under programs aimed at educating and training health professionals for careers at IHS facilities. And in January 2026, IHS announced it was launching the “largest hiring effort in agency history.”

“[O]ur top priority is filling vacancies for positions essential to keeping our health care facilities operating smoothly, especially in some of the more rural and remote locations,” said IHS Chief of Staff Clayton Fulton.