The New York Times reports that the Shinnecock Indian Nation of Long Island has met the criteria for federal recognition, according to the Interior Department.  The seven mandatory criteria for federal recognition are detailed in 25 C.F.R. § 83.7.  Briefly, they are:
- the group has been identified as an American Indian group on a "substantially continuous basis since 1900"
- a predominant portion of the group comprises a "distinct community" and has existed as such from historical times to the present
- the group has maintained autonomous "political influence or authority" over its members
- the group has membership criteria and governing processes in place
- the group's members are descended from an Indian tribe
- the group's members are not members of another federally recognized tribe
- no federal legislation prohibits the group's federal recognition as a tribe

Plainly, the administrative process for federal recognition is no mean undertaking.  In fact, it typically takes years, thousands of pages of documents, and a team of experts for a group to achieve federal recognition.

In the Shinnecock's case, they've been seeking federal recognition for three decades.

With the Interior Department's announcement that the group has met the mandatory criteria, the process now moves to a public comment period.  But the finding on the mandatory criteria is the biggest hurdle.

Up next . . . federal tribal recognition and gaming.

NYT: Shinnecock Tribe Moves Close to U.S. Recognition