Tribal disenrollment

Not to be confused with Detribalization.

In the United States, tribal disenrollment is a process by which a Native American individual loses citizenship or the right to belong within a Native American tribe.

Some native scholars have argued that although belonging in Native nations was historically a matter of kinship, it has become increasingly legalistic. Research found that nearly 80 tribes across 20 states have engaged in disenrollment as of 2016. While some tribal leaders assert that disenrollments are meant to correct tribal rolls and protect the integrity of the tribe, others argue that empirical data shows they are politically and economically motivated.

Article 9 of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples states: "Indigenous peoples and individuals have the right to belong to an indigenous community or nation, in accordance with the traditions and customs of the community or nation concerned." No discrimination of any kind may arise from the exercise of such a right. Article 33 of that UN states that "Indigenous peoples have the right to determine their own identity or membership in accordance with their customs and traditions." Individual and tribal rights clash in the disenrollment context.

In the United States, it is entirely up to the tribes to determine the criteria and procedures that an individual must meet and undergo to be considered for tribal membership. Most tribes do so pursuant to artificial tribal membership standards meted out by the U.S. Congress pursuant to the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, most notably blood quantum. Between 1904 and 1919, tribal members of mixed African and Native American ancestry were disenrolled from the Chitimacha tribe of Louisiana, and their descendants have since then been denied tribal membership.

Examples of disenrollment

• Black Seminoles
• Cahto Tribe Rancheria disenrolled 33% of members after casino opened in 1995.
• Cherokee freedmen controversy
• Chickahominy people family members who were phenotypically Black presenting or married Black partners were dropped from genealogies and membership rolls
• Chitimacha tribe of Louisiana: Between 1904 and 1919, tribal members of mixed African and Native American ancestry were disenrolled from the Chitimacha tribe of Louisiana, and their descendants have since then been denied tribal membership.
• Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde-in 2013 86 descendants of Tumulth disenrolled because ancestor is not on the restoration roll-he was executed by the US Army in 1855 (Note: Disenrollment reversed August 6, 2016)
• Elem Promo Indian Colony - 132 members proposed for disenrollment (Note: Disenrollment action withdrawn March 30, 2017)
• Hopland Band of Pomo Indians - 74 fully documented and legitimate descendants of a Hopland Distributee (Marian and William Wilder) were disenrolled for "errors in processing enrollment applications".
• Luiseno Nation of California-9 disenrolled
• Mattaponi have historically disenrolled members who were phenotypically black or married black people. They still today pass around pictures of applicants and reject enrollment based on phenotype.
• Modoc Tribe of Oklahoma-15 disenrolled
• Muscogee Creek Freedmen -filed suit July 2018 to regain citizenship
• Northern Narragansett Tribe made up of disenrolled members of the Narragansett Nation of Rhode Island
• Nooksack-306 members "disenrolled" because of ancestor Anne James (George)
• Omaha Tribe of Nebraska-15 members disenrolled for blood quantum
• Pala Band of Misson Indians-8 members disenrolled for blood quantum June 1, 2011 total of 154 disenrolled
• Pamunkey has had on the books until 2012 that they would enroll anyone who married black people. They were almost blocked from federal recognition due to an inquiry from the Congressional Black Caucus. The tribe continues to deny citizenship to families who have been historically removed due to the "Black" law.
• Pechanga-236 disenrolled
• Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi over 50 descendants of Jack Roan "disenrolled"
• Rappahannock people have a historical and continual practice of disenrolling and disavowing Rappahannock of Black phenotype and Black marriages. Their constitution, until recently, explicitly forbid marriages with Black people or disenrollment. One of the most prominent cases is Loving v. Virginia, where Mildred Loving was disavowed from the tribe because of the national attention on her black ancestry.
• Redding Racheria-formal Tribal Chairman Edward Foreman and descendants "disenrolled" 2004 over question of mother's lineage
• Robinson Ranchiera of Pomo Indians (California)-In 2017 "...reinstated several dozen members who were disenrolled nearly a decade ago by corrupt tribal leaders who left the tribe millions of dollars in debt."
• Saginaw Chippewa-230 members disenrolled on grounds of collateral descent
• San Pasqual Band-60 disenrolled in 2011
• Snoqualmie-9 banished and 80 disenrolled
• St Croix Chippewa-10 disenrolled for Blood quantium

In 2016 a website called "Stop Disenrollment" was set up by Native Peoples.
In 2017 it is reported that an estimated 9,000 members of 72 native tribes have been disenrolled
In 2020 it is estimated that nearly 10,000 members of 85 [out of 574 federally acknowledged tribes] have been disenrolled over 15 years.

See also

• Loss of citizenship
• Cherokee freedmen controversy
• Impact of Native American gaming
• Native American recognition in the United States
• Native American reservation politics
• Native American self-determination
• Nooksack people disenrollment controversy.
• Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians membership and disenrollment
• Tribal sovereignty
• Redding Rancheria