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 Black Louisianans demonstrated that a previous map diluted their votes.

This legal move is not new for the MHA Nation and Native voters, who previously defended a North Dakota legislative subdistrict in Walen v. Burgum. Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act mandates consideration of political boundaries like Tribal Nation reservation boundaries when drawing district lines to ensure fair representation. The creation of North Dakota House District 4A was one such effort to align with MHA Nation boundaries and allow them to elect candidates of their choice. Despite challenges seeking its elimination, District 4A remains intact following a successful defense before the district court.

Lenny Powell from the Native American Rights Fund remarked on this ongoing struggle: “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.”

The Callais amicus brief argues against claims that Louisiana's congressional map is an unconstitutional racial gerrymander, referencing past Supreme Court decisions such as Allen v. Milligan in 2023 which rejected similar claims.

Bruce Spiva from the Campaign Legal Center commented on the implications: “This case is an attempt to strip Black voters in Louisiana of their right to equal representation.”