President Joe Biden visited Indian Country in Arizona and offered a formal apology for the government-run boarding school system that forcibly separated Native American children from their parents, recognizing it as a “blot on American history.”
Biden’s visit aimed to acknowledge the abuses and deaths of Native children resulting from federal policies and demonstrate his and Vice President Kamala Harris’ support for tribal nations, with a focus on increasing turnout among Native American voters in the state.
The big picture: The apology was seen as a significant but overdue step, with some individuals expressing that it falls short of a true reckoning and remedy for the long history of colonial violence against Native Americans.
- The administration’s efforts to build a substantial track record with Native Americans include designating sacred sites as national monuments, directing federal spending to tribal nations, and appointing the first Native American, Deb Haaland, as the Interior secretary.
Driving the news: Both Democratic and Republican campaigns have been intensively targeting various groups, including Native American communities, in Arizona, hoping to secure their support for the upcoming elections.
What they’re saying: “I formally apologize as president of United States of America for what we did,” Biden said.
- He added that the removal of children from their community will always be a significant mark of shame on American history.
