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Lumbee tribe may finally receive long-sought federal recognition

Published

4 months ago

March 10, 2025

Staff Editor

carolinapublicpress.org – Lucas Thomae – 2025-03-10 08:00:00

For Lumbee tribe, ‘the time has come’ to finally be federally recognized

by Lucas Thomae, Carolina Public Press
March 10, 2025

Who gets to claim the title of American Indian? That is the question at the center of a fight over potential federal recognition for the indigenous Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.

For more than a century, the Lumbee — with a claimed membership of 60,000 people concentrated in the southeastern part of the state — have fought for federal recognition and the benefits that come with it.

Those perks include health care funding, housing programs and, of course, the opportunity to establish casinos.

A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers have supported bills to grant federal recognition the past few congressional cycles, but up to this point none have made it all the way to the president’s desk to be signed into law.

That may soon change.

‘An issue of fairness’

During his first week in office, President Donald Trump made good on his campaign promise to support the Lumbee cause with a memo to the Department of the Interior directing them to draft a plan to grant full federal recognition.

Once completed, the directive will reverse a 1956 law that acknowledged the tribe as the “Lumbee Indians of North Carolina,” but denied them federal benefits that typically come with that recognition.

A note: Both the state and federal government, and many tribes themselves, use the term “American Indian” to refer to the indigenous people living in the United States.

Lumbee Chairman John Lowery spent a week in Washington, D.C. last month as consultations for the carrying out of the president’s memorandum began. Lowery told Carolina Public Press he left the U.S. capital feeling “cautiously optimistic” about finally achieving full federal recognition.

“We have very strong support from both sides of the aisle,” Lowery said. “At the end of the day, whether Democrat or Republican, individuals understand that this is an issue of fairness.”

It’s also an issue that is somewhat complicated.

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the only federally-recognized tribe in the state, vehemently oppose granting the Lumbee the same status through congressional action rather than the typical application process carried out by the Department of the Interior. In fact, Cherokee opposition to Lumbee recognition dates back to at least 1910.

Principal Chief Michell Hicks, the leader of the Eastern Band, told CPP that such a move would be a “slippery slope” that encourages illegitimate tribal groups to falsely claim federal benefits.

“It is a dangerous decision that will open up the floodgates to others wanting to do the same thing,” he said.

Lumbee lineage holds the key

The Cherokee are an indigenous people who once populated parts of what is now North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama. They had long been a sovereign nation with their own government prior to European colonization of the region.

Today, the Eastern Band is one of three federally-recognized Cherokee tribes and the only one not located in Oklahoma. They are descendants of a small group of Cherokee people who remained in North Carolina after the U.S. government forcibly relocated them to reservations in the 1830s.

By the mid-1900s, the Eastern Band had organized into its own tribal nation fully acknowledged by the federal government. More than 16,000 Cherokee people live and work on their reservation lands which stretch across Swain, Jackson, Cherokee and Graham counties near the western tip of the state.

The Lumbee, on the other hand, have a history that is less cohesive. Their story is one of mixed cultures and ambiguous identity.

Even the name “Lumbee” is a modern construction, thought to have originated in the 1950s from the Lumber River that flows through the tribe’s claimed territory.

Since the 1880s, the group has petitioned Congress for federal recognition under names such as “Cherokee Indians of Robeson County” and “Croatan Indians” — a reference to a once-popular theory that they were descended from European settlers of “The Lost Colony” and nearby indigenous people.

Later research on the origin of the Lumbee suggests they are descended from a mix of people with indigenous, European and African heritage.

That lineage matters because the federal acknowledgement process requires petitioners to prove they are descended from a “historical Indian tribe” or a combination of historical tribes that function as one political entity.

The “historical tribe” requirement has proven to be an obstacle for the Lumbee since the U.S. government confirmed their eligibility to apply for federal acknowledgement in 2016.

Still, Lowery said his tribe’s indeterminate origins shouldn’t be disqualifying. They’ve long inhabited the sandhills and enjoyed a good relationship with the state. “The time has come” for the Lumbee to be recognized by a government that has consistently overlooked them.

“The fact that we are still here centuries after colonial expansion, centuries after war and disease,” he said, “should be celebrated.”

Membership has its privileges

Hicks said he supports the Lumbee’s right to go through the federal acknowledgement process, but opposes any congressional action that would allow them to circumvent that procedure. It’s a matter of protecting their own cultural identity, Hicks explained, pointing to “hundreds of groups” claiming to be Cherokee tribes.

“There is this merits-based process that was established because of the need to really dive into the claims of any group,” he said.

Some proponents of Lumbee recognition dismiss that argument. They say that the Cherokee simply want to protect their stake in the gaming industry, which legally can only take place on native lands.

A few years ago the tribe fought and lost a legal battle with the Catawba Indian Nation — a federally-recognized tribe in South Carolina — who planned to build a competing casino outside of Charlotte.

If the Lumbee were to become federally recognized, they might be another competitor in the high-stakes casino business.

However, both Lowery and Hicks downplayed the potential of a Lumbee-run casino as a reason for their political feud.

“The Lumbee opening a casino in a different region is unlikely to impact (our) gaming operations and is not the basis of our opposition,” Hicks said in a statement. “However, the fact that the Lumbee could establish an Indian gaming facility without even being able to specify which tribe they descend from illustrates the
broader stakes for communities across America. If federal recognition is granted without requiring verifiable historical evidence, any group claiming
to be a tribe could gain recognition — and with it, the ability to open a casino in any town in America.”

Meanwhile, Lumbee leaders in state government have lambasted Hicks and the Eastern Band for their “superiority complex” since discussion about recognition once again started to heat up.

A December letter penned by N.C. Commission of Indian Affairs chairman Ricky Burnett, a member of the Lumbee Tribe, censured Hicks for “statements made by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians that question the legitimacy of other tribal nations.”

“These actions reflect a troubling pattern of behavior in which the (Eastern Band) has positioned itself as an oppressor toward fellow tribes in North Carolina and neighboring states,” according to the letter.

In February, Lumbee Chairman John Lowery spent a week in Washington, D.C. as work began to finally grant the tribe full federal recognition. Lowery said he left feeling “cautiously optimistic. At the end of the day, whether Democrat or Republican, individuals understand that this is an issue of fairness.” Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina / Provided

Hicks said he was “offended” by the accusations.

“I don’t think it’s the position of any commission to basically take a political stance against the only federally-recognized tribe and the largest tribe east of the Mississippi,” he said.

Soon after, state Rep. Jarrod Lowery, the brother of the Lumbee chairman and the only Native American legislator in the General Assembly, criticized Gov. Josh Stein for appointing Hicks to his administration’s transition team.

The Republican legislator from Robeson County also introduced a bill last month that would redistribute money from an education fund composed primarily from the Eastern Band’s gaming revenues to the seven other state-recognized tribes.

This article first appeared on Carolina Public Press and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

The post Lumbee tribe may finally receive long-sought federal recognition appeared first on carolinapublicpress.org

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News from the South - North Carolina News Feed

What is Chronic Venous Insufficiency? Will Trump be okay?

Published

6 hours ago

July 18, 2025

Staff Editor

www.youtube.com – WRAL – 2025-07-18 12:56:16

SUMMARY: President Trump has been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a common condition in people over 70 causing leg swelling due to blood pooling in veins. The White House confirmed no deep vein thrombosis, arterial disease, or heart issues were found, with normal cardiac function and no signs of systemic illness. Despite visible ankle swelling and bruised hands, attributed to frequent handshaking and aspirin use, the president remains in excellent health and experiences no discomfort. At 79, he stays active, working continuously. The White House emphasized these symptoms are minor and consistent with his busy public engagements and cardiovascular prevention measures.

Swollen legs led to President Donald Trump being diagnosed with what’s called chronic venous insufficiency. It’s a fairly common condition among older adults but requires a thorough checkup to rule out more serious causes of swelling in the legs. Here are some things to know.

Chronic venous insufficiency, or CVI, happens when veins in the legs can’t properly carry blood back to the heart. That can lead to blood pooling in the lower legs. In addition to swelling, usually around the feet and ankles, symptoms can include legs that are achy, heavy feeling or tingly, and varicose veins. Severe cases could trigger leg sores known as ulcers.

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News from the South - North Carolina News Feed

US House votes to yank funding for NPR, PBS, foreign aid, sending bill to Trump’s desk

Published

14 hours ago

July 18, 2025

Staff Editor

ncnewsline.com – Jennifer Shutt – 2025-07-18 05:46:00

SUMMARY: On July 2, 2025, the U.S. House approved legislation to cancel $9 billion in previously authorized spending on public broadcasting and foreign aid, marking only the second time in over 30 years Congress approved a presidential rescissions request. The 216-213 mostly party-line vote sends the bill to President Donald Trump for signature. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting will lose $1.1 billion in funding for NPR, PBS, and local stations. The bill also cuts $8 billion in foreign aid but protects HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and maternal health programs. This follows Senate approval with some adjustments and reflects the White House’s push to focus spending on American interests.

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The post US House votes to yank funding for NPR, PBS, foreign aid, sending bill to Trump’s desk appeared first on ncnewsline.com

News from the South - North Carolina News Feed

Missing voter information the objection of NC search

Published

23 hours ago

July 17, 2025

Staff Editor

carolinapublicpress.org – Sarah Michels – 2025-07-17 14:07:00

by Sarah Michels, Carolina Public Press
July 17, 2025

North Carolina State Board of Elections Executive Director Sam Hayes is setting off on a mission to correct 103,000 North Carolinians’ voting records from which some information is missing.

He maintains that the process, dubbed the Registration Repair Project, will not remove any eligible voters from the state’s voter rolls.

According to the state elections board, 103,270 North Carolina registered voters have records that lack either their driver’s license number, the last four digits of their Social Security number or an indication that they have neither.

Last year, this missing information became the stuff of headlines, lawsuits and the high-profile election protest of Republican Court of Appeals Judge Jefferson Griffin, who lost his bid for state Supreme Court to the incumbent justice, Democrat Allison Riggs, by 734 votes.

In April, the North Carolina Supreme Court declined to remove ballots from the count based on missing identification numbers; they said the state elections board, not voters, was responsible for a faulty voter registration form that didn’t make it abundantly clear that this information was required.

While Griffin lost, the issue he raised remains salient for a newly Republican elections board and the U.S. Department of Justice, which promptly sued the state board over alleged violations of the federal Help America Vote Act’s voter registration provisions.

Thursday, Hayes told reporters that a process he unveiled in late June to gather these missing identification numbers had begun in earnest.

“We must put this issue behind us so we can focus our attention squarely on preparations for accurate and secure municipal elections this fall,” he said.

The plan to collect missing information

There are two groups of voters under Hayes’ plan.

The first group includes registered voters who have never provided a driver’s license, the last four digits of their Social Security number or an affirmation that they lack both. The state elections board has asked county election boards to check their records for these numbers, in case they were provided but not correctly entered into the voting system.

In early August, the state elections board will send letters to the remaining voters in this group requesting the missing information. If affected voters do not comply, they will vote provisionally in future elections. The elections board will create a flag on these voters’ records for poll workers.

The second group includes registered voters whose records do not show that they’ve provided an identification number, but have shown additional documentation at the polls proving their identity and eligibility under HAVA. These voters may vote a regular ballot.

However, the elections board will still send them a letter in a second mailing asking for the missing identification number to bolster the state’s voter records. Even so, if they do not oblige, they still will not be at risk of being disenfranchised, NCSBE General Counsel Paul Cox said.

County election boards have already made progress, and their work will continue as the mailings go out, Hayes said.

Voters can check to see whether they’re on the list of those with missing information by using the Registration Repair Search Tool. If voters don’t want to wait for the August mailing, they can submit an updated voter registration form using their driver’s license through the online DMV portal or visit their county elections board in person with their driver’s license or Social Security card.

“We anticipate the number of voters on the list will decrease quickly as word spreads about this important effort,” Hayes said.

The State Board of Elections unanimously approved the plan last month, despite some concerns from Democrat Jeff Carmon about putting up an extra obstacle for voters because of a problem with missing information that the voters didn’t cause.

“It’s hard to understand starvation if you’ve never felt the pangs of hunger,” Carmon said. “It’s the same situation with voting obstacles. Your perspective of an obstacle may not be the same as someone who’s consistently had their identity and their validity questioned.”

Nonetheless, Carmon and fellow Democrat board member Siobhan Millen ultimately voted in support of the plan.

Same ballot, different rules

Normally, when a voter casts a provisional ballot, the county elections board determines whether their ballot counts by the post-election canvass, held nine days after an election.

Voters may have to provide documentation or information to prove their eligibility to vote in order to be accepted.

The same process applies to the 103,000 affected voters, with a catch. Their vote may be accepted for federal contests, but not state contests, due to a difference in law.

According to the DOJ’s interpretation, the National Voter Registration Act requires all provisional votes of “duly registered voters” to count, Cox said.

But the state elections board has interpreted the state Supreme Court and North Carolina Court of Appeals’ decisions in the Griffin case as requiring a driver’s license, the last four digits of a Social Security number or an affirmation that a voter has neither before accepting their votes in state and local contests.

Under a recent election law change, county election boards have three days to validate and count or reject provisional ballots.

But sometimes, mismatches happen during validation due to database trouble with reading hyphenated names or connecting maiden and married names, for example, Cox said. The board has designed a “fail safe” in case this comes up.

When there’s a mismatch during the validation process, state law allows voters to provide additional documentation — like a driver’s license, bank statement or government document with a voter’s name and address — to prove their eligibility.

“A big chunk of these voters will have already shown HAVA ID, and that’s because in the past, when this information was not supplied, the county boards would still require these voters to show that alternative form of HAVA ID when they voted for the first time,” Cox said.

Poll workers will ask provisional voters to provide this additional documentation so that they can mark it down for later, if validation doesn’t work, he added.

Democrats threaten countersuit

Last week, the Democratic National Committee threatened the state board with litigation if they went ahead with their plan regarding those with missing information.

The letter claimed that the plan would remove eligible voters from the rolls illegally.

Hayes disagrees. In his view, he’s just following the law.

“It’s not the fault of the voters,” he said. “But at the same time, we’re required by the law to go back and collect this information, which should have been done at the time, and it certainly should have been done in the intervening time.”

He also clarified that North Carolina’s photo voter ID requirement won’t suffice for the impacted voters. They still have to vote provisionally so that their identification numbers can go through the validation process, he said.

As for whether his fully fleshed out plan will appease the DNC?

“We hope so,” Hayes said.

This article first appeared on Carolina Public Press and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post Missing voter information the objection of NC search appeared first on carolinapublicpress.org

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article presents a balanced and factual report on North Carolina’s voter registration issue, focusing on the administrative process and legal context without overt editorializing. It includes perspectives from both Republican and Democratic figures, highlights legal rulings and procedural details, and covers concerns from Democrats alongside the state elections board’s explanations. The language is neutral, aiming to inform about the complexities of voter ID requirements and the Registration Repair Project without endorsing a particular political stance or framing the issue through a partisan lens.