Bureau of Indian Affairs
The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is a U.S. DOI agency. It administers the Native American reserves held in trust for tribes, and works with trival governments for law enforcement and governmental services.
Contents
Composition
BEA is overseen by the Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs.
The bureau is led by a director.
The bureau is divided into four offices:
- Indian Services
- Justice Services
- Trust Services
- Field Operations, which oversees twelve regional offices
History
By 1789, the Department of War was charged with managing international relations with Native American tribes.
A formal Bureau of Indian Affairs was established in 1824, though it was also commonly known as the Indian Office. By 1832 it was led by a commissioner.
In 1849, the bureau transferred to the DOI.