Department of Justice (DOJ) Assistant Inspector General Performing the Duties of the Inspector General M. Sean O’Neill announced today the release of a web-based report on U.S. Attorneys’ Offices’ compliance with Section 5 of Savanna’s Act and their efforts in response to missing or murdered Indigenous persons (MMIP). Savanna’s Act was passed in 2020 to improve the federal response to MMIP by increasing coordination among law enforcement agencies. The DOJ and its U.S. Attorneys’ Offices play a central role in the federal response to MMIP cases, including through the MMIP Regional Outreach Program, which places attorneys and coordinators across the U.S. to help prevent and respond to MMIP cases.
The DOJ Office of the Inspector General’s (OIG) audit found that while U.S. Attorneys’ Offices are utilizing various tools to address MMIP cases, there are several areas for improvement:
- EOUSA Should Ensure Savanna’s Act Guidelines Compliance. Savanna’s Act Section 5(a) directed U.S. Attorneys to develop “regionally appropriate guidelines” for responding to cases of missing or murdered Indigenous persons, and the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) required the guidelines be tailored to the unique circumstances in each district. We found that 10 of 49 districts did not include all required sections in their guidelines or did not tailor their guidelines to the district.
- EOUSA Should Address Staffing Vacancies in the MMIP Regional Outreach Program. The MMIP Regional Outreach Program provides experienced attorneys and coordinators to address and combat MMIP within each district. However, as of February 2026, the program had a 40 percent staffing vacancy rate. These staffing challenges and related issues, such as budgetary constraints, the 2025 federal hiring freeze, and USAO leadership turnover, impact the program’s continuity and its ability to achieve its goals.
- EOUSA Should Develop a Definition of MMIP and Performance Metrics. EOUSA currently lacks a process to measure, monitor, or demonstrate the effectiveness of the MMIP Regional Outreach Program. Additionally, differing interpretations of the definition of MMIP within the program create inconsistencies in how the program is implemented across regions. EOUSA should develop a statement of expectations that outlines a clear, standardized definition of MMIP-related work and establishes performance metrics to better assess the program’s value and effectiveness.
The OIG made three recommendations to improve EOUSA’s compliance with Savanna’s Act and its implementation of the MMIP Regional Outreach Program. The EOUSA agreed with all three recommendations.