California Sues to Stop National Archives Closure
The State of California filed a lawsuit to prevent the closure of the National Archives at San Francisco to protect vital Indigenous records.
The Government of California filed a lawsuit to block the closure of the National Archives at San Francisco, located in San Bruno. The legal action seeks to maintain public access to irreplaceable Bureau of Indian Affairs records that serve Indigenous populations across California and Nevada.
Opponents of the closure, including tribal leaders and former archives staff, argue that the facility houses essential land allotment, census, and enrollment records. The archives also contain critical files from the Carson Stewart Indian boarding school. These documents are used by researchers and members of both federally recognized and unrecognized tribes to establish identity and land rights.
Supporters of the lawsuit emphasize that the records must remain accessible within the region to serve 109 federally recognized tribes in California and 28 in Nevada. The National Archives at San Francisco remains the central point of contention as the state seeks to prevent the loss of regional access to these historical documents.
