Deb Haaland Makes History as First Native American Cabinet Secretary

Deb Haaland was confirmed as Secretary of the Interior for the Biden administration Monday, making her the first Native American cabinet secretary in U.S. history. Haaland, a member of the Laguna Pueblo and a 35th-generation resident of New Mexico, will oversee the management of federal land and natural resources, as well as the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Under President Trump, the Department of the Interior rolled back a number of environmental protections and ceded vast amounts of land to commercial exploitation. President Biden has already reversed or paused a number of Trump’s policies and Haaland, who has voiced opposition to fossil fuel drilling and pipelines in the past, says she’ll be “fierce for all of us, our planet, and all of our protected land” in her new role. Mina Kim talks about Haaland’s historic confirmation, its cultural significance and the agenda in front of her with Gregory Cajete, professor of Native American Studies and Language, Literacy and Sociocultural Studies and Joel Clement, senior fellow at the Arctic Initiative.

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