The Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation, along with Native voters Cesar Alvarez and Lisa Deville, have submitted an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in defense of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. This comes amid the review of Louisiana v. Callais, a case challenging a district map enacted by the Louisiana legislature after it was shown that the previous map diluted Black votes.

This legal action is not new for these Native voters and the MHA Nation. They previously defended a North Dakota legislative subdistrict in Walen v. Burgum. Section 2 of the VRA mandates that elected officials consider political boundaries like Tribal Nation reservations when drawing district lines to ensure fair representation. In compliance with this section, North Dakota created House District 4A aligned with MHA Nation's boundaries, allowing them to elect their preferred candidate. Although challenged in Walen v. Burgum, this subdistrict was upheld in court.

“Like the Black voters advocating for a fair election map in Louisiana, Native voters in North Dakota have also had to file lawsuit after lawsuit to vindicate their right to vote," stated Lenny Powell from the Native American Rights Fund.

The amicus brief submitted on December 26, 2024, argues against a decision by the Callais district court that deemed Louisiana’s congressional map an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. The brief notes that similar claims were rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court in Allen v. Milligan in 2023 and counters mischaracterizations made by another brief filed by 12 states.

“This case is an attempt to strip Black voters in Louisiana of their right to equal representation," said Bruce Spiva from the Campaign Legal Center.