In a Riverside courtroom, Native Americans who trace their ancestry to full blood Santa Ynez were fighting for their right to belong.
Attorney Jon Velie, who has argued before the Supreme Court in the Cherokee Freedmen issue, was representing the group.
She ruled the BIA was reasonable in its determination that relied on evidence outside the Census that listed the clients Grandmother was a full blood and the clients were not going to be allowed in the Tribe. Fortunately, while she was reasoned in her decision she did not address the cases that were cited where a Tribal and Federal Court held it was improper to contradict the historical documents adopted by Tribes to determine members.'
The tentative ruling was very precise, but attorney Velie was able to point to discussion points and lead her back to the cases that disagreed with the tentative ruling's conclusion. The judge took the arguments under advisement
The Court will rule in a week. Please keep the Santa Ynez people in your thoughts they deserve their identity and no temporarily appointed government should be able to take it from them.
I am encouraged with this news. Jon V. is an excellent lawyer he worked with us in every phase of our case. He made special trips here to CA just to attend our family meetings. It still bothers me that congress is not as impartial as they claim to be. The tribes buy access to congress members with contributions. I see the tribes appealing any decision that is not in their favor. This may get as far as the Supreme Court, but I have fears the Supreme Court will do the same in this case. That does not mean to give up hope. I have not. I still hand write letters and mail them the old fashion way.
ReplyDeleteWhite buffalo we all can unite and be a stronger all Natives disenfranchised by our greedy tribes
ReplyDeleteI Have spoken to Jon Veile recently he is confident the laws for us are changing Now is the Time for Organizing all clans to Fight Together someone nominated from each clan as we did with years past Temecula Indians with other Nations Numbers Speak Louder organize and take us all to federal Court or directly to congress of Co use we will need Jon Veile to take all cases as one unified group
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