Tribal Sovereignty Used to Justify Human Rights Violations in Native American Communities: Merrick Garland and DOJ Urged to Investigate

The mission of the Department of Justice is to
 uphold the rule of law, to keep our country safe,
and to protect civil rights.

Dear Attorney General Garland,

I implore you to take immediate action to investigate the widespread civil and human rights violations that have plagued Native American communities across the country. Tribal officials have systematically denied thousands of individuals their basic rights and privileges as tribal members, stripping them of access to federal benefits and programs in areas such as housing, education, health, voting, and public works assistance. The explosion of Indian gaming has only intensified these violations, as tribal leaders use the guise of sovereignty to justify their actions and wield sovereignty as a club to be the weak.

These violations are in clear violation of tribal and federal laws, including the Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968, which were enacted to protect the rights of individual Indians. Tribal leaders have repeatedly denied individuals due process, equal protection, property interest rights, and voting rights, and have done so with impunity.

Using sovereignty as a tool to oppress and render powerless the weakest members of their communities is unconscionable. The federal government must not allow offending tribes and tribal officials to hide behind the notion of tribal sovereignty, and must take action to protect the rights of individual Native Americans.

The United States has a trust responsibility to protect the rights of Native Americans, including those whose rights have been trampled by tribal officials. Unfortunately, the Bureau of Indian Affairs has failed to live up to this responsibility, limiting their trust to tribal government and officials while ignoring the thousands of individuals affected by these violations.

It is the legal and moral responsibility of the DOJ to investigate and prosecute these violations of basic rights. I urge you to direct the DOJ Civil Rights Division to launch a thorough investigation into the numerous human and civil rights violations described above, and to ensure that any political influence or claims of tribal sovereignty do not obstruct justice.

The rights of disenrolled and abused Native Americans must not be overlooked or denied any longer. Please take immediate action to address this issue and provide justice to those who have been denied their basic rights.  Turning a blind eye is NOT the way.

Rick Cuevas
Original Pechanga Blog
originalpechanga2@yahoo.com