FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – On the first day of Joe Biden's presidency, Native Americans had reason to celebrate. Biden canceled construction of the border wall that threatened to physically separate Indigenous people living on both sides.He also canceled a permit for the Keystone XL oil pipeline that tribes fought in court for years, and he agreed to restore the boundaries of the first national monument created specifically at the request of tribes in southern Utah.
Inaugural events showcased tribes across the country in traditional regalia, dancing and in prayer.But amid the revelry, some Native Americans saw a glitch in Wednesday's swearing-in ceremony.