'Indian Country is suffering': BIA whistleblowers warn of staff shortage, case backlog in MMIP crisis

PHOENIX - Two whistleblowers within the Bureau of Indian Affairs are sounding the alarm over the handling of cold-case murders and missing persons following a recently released audit from the U.S. Department of the Interior. The report criticized the BIA's understaffing and a heavy backlog of cases.

The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons crisis is nothing new, yet reforms are still needed within the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The 29-page report states that agents in the Missing and Murdered Unit, or MMU, had "unmanageable workloads" and that investigators should only have investigative duties, but that is not happening.

The BIA's Missing and Murdered Unit covers five regions: the Northwest, Great Plains, Great Lakes, Southeast, and the Southwest. Two BIA employees went on the record, agreeing with the U.S. Department of the Interior's Inspector General report.

"Indian country is suffering, and it's directly because of the Bureau of Indian Affairs," one whistleblower said.

The audit states the MMU does not have the right processes for efficient case management to solve missing, murdered, and human trafficking cases in Indian Country.

"Another part of that is there's been some internal affairs corruption where employees have been targeted," a whistleblower said. "And because of targeting employees, we have lost a lot of people. And so, to backfill the patrol functions, we're substituting MMU agents to backfill these patrol functions at all of these different direct service agencies, which then means that MMU agents aren't at their post doing their job."

Despite having funding for 65 staff members, the MMU had only 44 as of October 2025. The audit says the BIA struggles with filling these jobs, citing competition from other federal agencies like the FBI, which offers higher-level positions and more pay.

Dig deeper:

The impact is felt by Native American families seeking answers and justice.

"It's very tough," one source said. "And if you work on the patrol side, you are at the brunt of that every day. 'Why did it take so long for you guys to get here? What's going on with this case? Have you guys looked into this?' Like, yeah, it's a lot to deal with in a day."

Loved ones of 16-year-old Challistia Colelay know the feeling.

It has been nearly a year since she was found dead in Whiteriver after going missing for weeks. The BIA believes her death involved foul play.

According to the audit, MMU agents are assigned an average of four cold cases, with no more than five suggested by the National Institute of Justice. But on average, each agent gets assigned 14 referrals. Agents screen referrals and recommend whether or not a case should be opened, and then a supervisor decides if an investigation begins.

As of November 2024, the MMU had 83 open cases and 394 open referrals. Of those referrals, 72% were received between 2020 and 2023, remaining stuck in the screening process.

When asked how agents navigate such a heavy caseload, a whistleblower responded, "Most people aren't. Some areas have somewhere, major violent crimes can have somewhere up to 30 plus cases, some areas only have a few. It's actually unmanageable."

Since the MMU's inception in 2021, the annual budget has increased from $9.5 million to nearly $15 million. However, over a three-year span, a total of $15.2 million has been diverted to other purposes, including purchases or modifications of BIA vehicles. The audit notes that the funding diversion stems from the inability to staff the unit.

What they're saying:

Meanwhile, sources say they are lacking basic equipment.

"I'm being tasked with overseeing two different agencies," a whistleblower said. "I cover the size of Rhode Island with three cops. That's all I have to provide 24-7 coverage, and the Bureau can't even afford to give me radios. We have no comms. I don't have tribal law enforcement here. They were all disbanded when BIA reassumed the programs."

BIA whistleblowers report a lack of qualified leaders to address their needs and express fear of retaliation for voicing concerns revealed in the audit.

"In 2024, I came across a case when I was in internal affairs that had a lot of misconduct, and we discovered that multiple members of management across the nation were engaging in unauthorized, unlawful employment practices, which was resulting in the shortfall for the patrol functions," a whistleblower said.

"Because they deemed that anybody that's willing to complain isn't willing to be there, and so they would go out of their way to eliminate them as an employee. Well, chasing them off or terminating them leaves a vacant position where we, as agents, have to backfill to offset the patrol functions."

What's next:

The audit also points to a need for the Victim Services Program to improve, stating the MMU should consistently contact victim specialists, so families can receive critical information about their case and the legal process.

The Inspector General issued eight recommendations for implementation:

• Develop a plan to clear the massive backlog of referrals.
• Update MMU policies, so investigators are focused on their cases, not administrative tasks.
• Provide proper intake training, so solvable cases are assigned correctly.
• Establish a strict timeframe for reviewing cases before they are opened or closed.
• Work with HR to fill vacant positions promptly.
• Train all staff on the Victims' Rights and Restitution Act.
• Require regional agents to ensure families are connected with victim services or provide reasoning as to why they were not.
• Properly staff the Victim Services Program, so families actually get the support they need.

When asked if there is optimism that the audit will bring action, a whistleblower said, "I'm a believer. I want to believe that action can happen. I want to believe that we can do better."

A full deep dive regarding the BIA audit is featured in an episode of "On the Record."

FOX 10 reached out to the Bureau of Indian Affairs regarding the audit and employee concerns, but did not receive a response until after publishing this report.

Below is BIA's full statement

"Every missing or murdered American Indian and Alaska Native represents a family and a tribal community waiting for answers. The federal government has a responsibility to ensure that the resources, personnel, and investigative capabilities entrusted to the Bureau of Indian Affairs are focused on meeting that responsibility.

A recent report from the Office of Inspector General’s underscored the need for greater accountability and a renewed focus on the mission of the Missing and Murdered Unit. We take those findings seriously. Under President Trump’s leadership, Indian Affairs is taking concrete steps to strengthen the MMU, restore accountability, and ensure that cases receive the attention and investigative support they require.

The Indian Affairs response to the Office of Inspector General’s report demonstrates this administration’s commitment to ensuring that the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Missing and Murdered Unit operates effectively, uses federal resources responsibly, and delivers the results that Native families and tribal communities deserve.

The deficiencies identified in the OIG audit reflect operations and management decisions from 2021-2024, under the previous administration, that were inconsistent with the objectives and protocols developed through Operation Lady Justice and when this Missing and Murdered initiative was initially developed. Following the change in BIA Office of Justice Services leadership in 2021, key approaches developed under Operation Lady Justice during the first Trump administration were not continued or advanced. This included protocols for reviewing and assigning cases, developing investigative plans, and effectively partnering with tribal law enforcement programs to be part of the efforts.

Under President Trump, the Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Office of Justice Services are taking significant steps to correct these issues, increase MMU staffing, and strengthen the MMU to deliver results for Indian Country. Most of the OIG’s recommendations have already been implemented. We are improving case intake and accountability, reinforcing investigative protocols, strengthening partnerships with tribal, federal, and state law enforcement agencies, implementing advanced AI technology and ensuring that MMU resources are directed toward its core public-safety mission.

This effort is further supported by Secretary Doug Burgum’s Secretarial Order 3450, which refocuses the BIA MMU and reinforces the Department’s commitment to addressing missing and murdered American Indian and Alaska Native cases.

Additional work remains to ensure that the MMU has adequate federal and tribal staffing, an effective organizational structure, appropriate accountability for all employees, and the capacity to work efficiently with tribal, federal, and state partners to bring resolve to these important cases. We are committed to addressing these challenges, strengthening fiscal and operational accountability, and ensuring that the MMU is equipped to deliver meaningful results."

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