The United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians (UKB) has raised an urgent call for the immediate removal of a draft Senate provision which they claim would undermine their ability to obtain trust land and operate gaming facilities within the Cherokee Nation Reservation. The draft, authored by Cherokee Nation citizen and Senate Committee on Indian Affairs member, Markwayne Mullin, proposes that none of the funds appropriated under the upcoming federal appropriations bill should be used to take land into trust within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation in Oklahoma without the Cherokee Nation’s consent. This provision has by default positioned the UKB at a significant disadvantage and has prompted concerns over its potential implications.
Additionally, the proposal stipulates that no other tribe would be granted “tribal jurisdiction” within the designated territory, and any trust land held by another tribe must be used solely for non-gaming purposes. This development has caused significant consternation within the UKB, as they were not notified or consulted on this matter. UKB Tribal Council attorney, Tori Holland, highlighted the troubling nature of the situation, emphasizing the tribe’s distress upon learning about the proposal through a Freedom of Information Act request. Holland expressed that it was “very shocking and surprising” and framed the language as one
UKB Chief Jeff Wacoche did not hesitate to label Mullin’s draft as an overt act of tribal termination, equating the language to a direct violation of federal law and an attack on tribal sovereignty. Sharing a poignant analogy, Wacoche described it as “genocide by redline,” a modern form of erasure enacted not through armed conflict but through clandestine legislative maneuvers. He passionately urged lawmakers, tribal leaders, and the public to vehemently oppose this amendment and push for its withdrawal, underscoring the gravity of the situation as a betrayal of the US government’s trust responsibilities.
The ongoing conflict between the two Tahlequah-based governments is far from new, rooted deeply in historical disputes and territorial tensions. Both the UKB and the Cherokee Nation draw their lineage from the historic Cherokee people, yet the Cherokee Nation maintains that it holds exclusive jurisdiction over Cherokee lands in Oklahoma. This dispute is particularly evident in their respective operations: the Cherokee Nation successfully runs 10 casinos, whereas the UKB, beset by legal challenges and regulatory interventions, has been unable to maintain a consistent foothold in the gaming industry since its lone bingo hall was shut down in 2013. This situation changed somewhat in 2019 when the
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