- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
TULSA, Okla. — The Shawnee Tribe filed a federal lawsuit on Thursday, alleging that the Trump administration “grossly undercounted” the tribe’s enrolled population, costing the tribe nearly $6 million in relief funding under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
The lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma claims the U.S. Treasury Department disregarded the tribe’s population data and instead used HUD Indian Housing Block Grant data that doesn’t count tribal members who live off the reservation.
Although HUD maintains enrollment population data for tribes, it is for the sole purpose of calculation and distributing HUD funds, which the Shawnee Tribe does not receive, according to the filing.
As a result, the Treasury’s data “grossly undercounted The Shawnee Tribe’s total enrolled population by nearly 3,000 members, or approximately 98 percent, assuming the best case scenario that it accounted for at least 37 members,” the filing states.
The tribe received $100,000 — the minimum relief funding for tribes — versus the $6 million it would have received based on its official enrollment.
“Despite having three separate reliable sources to The Shawnee Tribes’ population data – one of which was data submitted directly by The Shawnee Tribe’s government at the Treasury’s request – the Treasury issued funds based upon the incomplete and unreliable IHBG Metric population data reporting zero enrolled tribal members, which was arbitrary and capricious,” the filing states.
Under the IHBG race-based data, 25 tribal governments are listed as having a population of zero, which the Shawnee Tribe calls “a practical impossibility.”
The lawsuit asks the court to enjoin Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin from distributing the $679 million in remaining CARES Act funding until the situation can be resolved.
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsNative News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Native News Weekly (November 17, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Rep. Mary Peltola's Reelection Race Still to be Called
Native News Online Post-Election Survey Shows Trump-Harris Split, Reservation Divide
Support Independent Indigenous Journalism That Holds Power to Account
With the election now decided, Native News Online is recommitting to our core mission: rigorous oversight of federal Indian policy and its impact on tribal communities.
The previous Trump administration’s record on Indian Country — from the reduction of sacred sites to aggressive energy development on tribal lands — demands heightened vigilance as we enter this new term. Our Indigenous-centered newsroom will provide unflinching coverage of policies affecting tribal sovereignty, sacred site protection, MMIR issues, water rights, Indian health, and economic sovereignty.
This critical watchdog journalism requires resources. Your support, in any amount, helps maintain our independent, Native-serving news coverage. Every contribution helps keep our news free for all of our relatives. Please donate today to ensure Native News Online can thrive and deliver impactful, independent journalism.
