Indian Gaming Now

Shinnecock

Update From NY: Shinnecock Tribal Recognition

Posted by Kathryn Rand | Filed under:
Jul 21 2010
Today's student-written guest blog post is by third-year law student Meg Morley.  Meg's research paper for Kathryn's Indian Gaming Law course is on the Shinnecock Indian Tribe and their quest for federal recognition and desire to open a casino.  As Meg has chosen a topic that is developing literally as she conducts her research (one of the challenges of working in the field of tribal gaming!), she is tracking news accounts daily.  Here's her latest update:

An appeal has been filed by the "Connecticut Coalition for Gaming Jobs".  This filing automatically stays the Federal Recognition process for the Shinnecocks, a process that was to be finalized on July 19.

Now another group has come forth with an appeal, the Montaukett Tribe.

Shinnecock Federal Tribal Recognition Likely

Posted by Kathryn Rand | Filed under:
Dec 15 2009
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