The audit found that heavy workloads, staffing shortages and the absence of deadlines for reviewing referrals slowed the unit’s work. It also found that agents did not consistently refer victims and families to the unit’s Victim Services Program, which provides case updates, guidance on legal processes and information about mental health and other resources.

The unit, based in Albuquerque and operating across 15 states, was created in 2021 to help investigate missing, murdered and human trafficking cases involving American Indians and Alaska Natives. Its staff work with Tribal governments and other law enforcement agencies, which must agree to the unit’s involvement in a case.

The watchdog reported that the unit had 83 open cases alongside its 394 pending referrals in November 2024. Agents were handling an average of four open cold cases and 14 referrals apiece, requiring time for referral reviews that could otherwise be devoted to investigations. National Institute of Justice guidance recommends investigators focus on investigative duties and handle no more than five cold cases at a time.

Staffing constraints compounded the workload. As of October 2025, the unit had 44 staff against 65 funded positions, with 21 positions unfilled. The audit said recruitment and retention were difficult, including because competing federal agencies offered higher-level positions to special agents.

The audit’s review of victim services also found that in eight of 13 sampled cases where unit procedures required an agent to contact the Victim Services Program, the agent had not done so. The report said the program had only three specialists—one supervisor and two specialists—to serve four regions. Staff told auditors that agents sometimes relied on Tribal victim services because the BIA program lacked capacity or local coverage.

The watchdog warned that inconsistent referrals could leave families without case updates, help navigating legal proceedings or access to support. It cited the Victims’ Rights and Restitution Act, which requires federal agencies to make efforts to inform crime victims about services and provide other assistance.

The audit also found that the Office of Justice Services used more than $15 million in funds carried over from the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Initiative between fiscal years 2021 and 2023 to buy or modify vehicles for other law enforcement units. The watchdog noted that those purchases might benefit law enforcement generally but were not directed to the missing and murdered unit’s specific mission.

The BIA told auditors it reviewed referrals from 2020 through 2024 and introduced deadlines for screening new cases. Under revised procedures, regional agents in charge must review cold-case referrals within 72 hours and decide within 10 business days whether to close them or assign them for further assessment. Assigned agents have 30 days to recommend whether to open a full case. Acute missing-person cases are to be reviewed immediately.

The watchdog marked five of its eight recommendations implemented and one resolved, while leaving two unresolved. Those remaining recommendations call for a hiring plan with specific timelines and an assessment and plan for appropriate staffing of the Victim Services Program. The watchdog said it still needed evidence that the older referrals had been assigned or closed, despite BIA’s review and a July 30, 2026, target date for completing that work.

The audit underscores the importance of timely investigations and reliable family support for Tribal communities confronting disproportionate levels of violence. It cited federal research finding that 84% of American Indian and Alaska Native women and 82% of men have experienced violence in their lifetimes.