Department of the Interior Completes Three-Day Probate Outreach Event at Gila River Indian Reservation

The Department of the Interior completed a three-day probate outreach event this past week on the Gila River Indian Reservation in Arizona, where staff met with community members in two locations to offer direct support and trust services. The event, hosted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, reached 333 families and provided hands-on help with probate cases, realty needs and trust fund account management. 

“Outreach events like this shows the commitment of President Donald J. Trump and the Department of the Interior to meeting tribal citizens where they are, reducing barriers to essential services and helping families navigate complex trust and probate processes,” said Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Billy Kirkland. “By bringing probate, realty and trust services together in one place, we make sure community members have the information and support they need.” 

This event is the latest as part of Secretary Doug Burgum’s ongoing commitment to eliminate the decades-long probate backlog. The probate process is vital to ensure that individual trust assets are properly distributed and that families receive the closure and support they deserve. Interior is working hard to make a measurable improvement to the longstanding probate backlog so American Indian and Alaska Native families can receive the property that rightfully belongs to them. 

The outreach event brought together probate, realty and trust fund services in one place so families could get clear guidance during a single visit. Staff from the Department of the Interior’s Indian Affairs worked side by side to answer questions, review documents and help community members understand the steps involved in probate. 

Participants met one‑on‑one with probate staff to receive updates on their cases, submit and review documents, and learn more about how the probate process works. Realty specialists helped landowners review ownership records and provided information on gift deeds, which can help families reduce future probate needs and plan for the long term. 

Bureau of Trust Funds Administration staff supported ongoing modernization efforts by helping individuals enroll in new digital services that will connect to the digital wallet launching later this year. They also assisted with updating contact and payment information to ensure that trust fund payments are delivered securely and without delay. 

The Department of the Interior remains dedicated to strengthening trust management, expanding service accessibility, and supporting Tribal sovereignty and family decision-making.