For the second time this month, Native American government leaders across the state have condemned a decision by the Trump Administration they say disrespects the legacy of tribal contributions and sacrifice to this country.
Last month the Department of Veterans Affairs announced a new policy limiting which flags can fly over its facilities. U.S. flags, military service flags, POW flags, for example, are allowed. But the flags representing the 22 federally recognized tribes in Arizona are not.
Local VA officials gave them to the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community to hold them. President Martin Harvier said he hopes it’s temporary.
"You would hope that the VA would change to allow tribal flags to be flown in their facilities," Harvier said.
The removal comes just days after the Department of Defense stripped any mention of the Navajo Code Talkers from its site and then rescinded the decision blaming a technical error amid backlash.
White Mountain Apache tribal chairman Kasey Velasquez called on the VA to immediately restore the flags, writing: "The removal of these flags sends a harmful and unacceptable message that diminishes the contributions and sacrifices of Native veterans, including those from the White Mountain Apache Tribe."
Meanwhile, Navajo Nation president Buu Nygren called the flags "flags of sovereignty."
"Just this week, we worked closely with our federal government to reinstate materials associated with our Navajo Code Talkers on federal websites. Although that action has since been resolved, our tribal flags being removed from the Phoenix VA hospital is completely disheartening," Nygren said.
He called on Congressman Eli Crane, who represents much of the Navajo Nation and is also a veteran, to help restore the flags.
Crane's office did not respond to requests for response from KJZZ's Fronteras Desk.
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