Tribal Leaders' Use of Disenrollment to Consolidate Power Must Be Addressed by BIA and DOI and Yes, the Dept. of JUSTICE

Disenrollment, the practice of removing tribal members from their tribe, has become an increasingly controversial issue in Native American communities across the United States. The act of disenrolling tribal members, often for trivial reasons, has serious consequences for the individuals and their families, as they are stripped of their citizenship rights such as voting rights and access to tribal benefits and programs.

This practice, as explained by many tribal members, usually starts from a lie or a slanderous statement that is then used as a basis for further claims against the targeted individual. As more allegations are added, the tribal council or enrollment committees begins to investigate, often with little or no due process, such as confronting the accusers, leading to the disenrollment of the individual and their family.

Many have attributed the practice of disenrollment to greed and power. Tribal leaders who engage in disenrollment often do so to consolidate their power and maintain control over the distribution of resources, such as gaming profits, where the theft of per capita has topped ONE BILLION DOLLARS . These leaders use disenrollment as a tool to exclude those who they see as a threat to their power, and as a means to silence any dissenting voices within the tribe.

Disenrollment not only violates the basic human rights of the affected individuals, but it also goes against the traditional values of Native American communities, where kinship and collective responsibility are highly valued. Disenrollment tears apart families and communities, causing irreparable damage to the social fabric of the tribe.

To make matters worse, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the Department of the Interior, who are entrusted with protecting the rights of Native Americans, have failed to take action against disenrollment. They have claimed to have no jurisdiction over the matter and have neglected their trust responsibility towards the affected individuals.

It is crucial that we address this issue and put an end to the practice of disenrollment. It is not only a violation of basic human rights, but it also goes against the traditional values of Native American communities. We need to hold tribal leaders accountable for their actions and demand that the BIA and the Department of the Interior take a more proactive stance against disenrollment.

It is time for us to stand together and fight against the greed and power that drive disenrollment. We need to preserve our cultural heritage and promote justice and equality for all Native Americans. We have allowed the actions of a few to tarnish the reputation of our communities and strip our people of their basic rights.

Let us come together and say no to disenrollment. Don't pass it off as a sovereign matter, or a membership issue.  Tribal governments are using sovereignty as a weapon to beat the weak and helpless, and terrorize them into submission.
Let us demand accountability and justice for all those who have been unjustly removed from their tribes. 

It is time to put an end to this destructive practice and move towards a future of unity, respect, and inclusion.   It's time to RIGHT THE WRONGS