Critics say the disenrollments have also been used as a way to settle political infighting and family and personal feuds.
Tribal expulsions started in the 1990s along with the establishment of casinos, and have continued as gambling revenues skyrocketed. The Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde in Oregon in the past decade also disenrolled tribal members they said no longer satisfied enrollment rules. In central California, the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians voted to expel dozens of members in 2019 from a share of casino profits and other benefits of tribal membership. The families and Galanda have contested the ousting efforts, gaining attention as leading opponents of tribal disenrollment, an increasing practice that can involve struggles over power and resources, and questions about culture and identity. Galanda has said nearly all the homes in question were developed as rent-to-own, which means his clients should own their homes or hold equity.Įarlier this year, experts from the United Nations called on the federal government to intervene and prevent the evictions, raising concerns about the welfare of the residents. The Nooksack members being threatened with eviction are both Filipino and Native American, or what some call “Indipino.” Gabe Galanda, attorney for the families, told KNKX Public Radio his clients are being singled out in part because of that, though he said this kind of mixed identity is common among Native peoples.
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