Congresswoman Anna Eshoo said the Muwekma Ohlone’s unwillingness to give up gaming rights could prevent it from gaining support for federal recognition.
Gabriel Nijmeh, right, Maddox and Yaya, members of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe, take part in a rally in front of the Hearst Museum of Anthropology at UC Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024. Another Bay Area congresswoman has added to the chorus of criticism facing the San Jose City Council over its potential support for federal recognition of the Muwekma Ohlone, noting the “significant” implications and the tribe’s historical opposition to any anti-gaming provisions.
The BIA, which last granted federal recognition to a tribe five years ago, denied the Muwekma Ohlone’s petition because it failed to meet three of the seven required criteria.In previous rallies and protests, the Muwekma Ohlone, which has approximately 614 members, cited the need for federal recognition to hold land, receive federal assistance and aid in repatriating artifacts and the remains held by government agencies and public museums.
While the Muwekema Ohlone has not mentioned the need for gaming at recent events, Chairwoman Charlene Nijmeh told The Mercury News that taking away the tribe’s rights would make them “second-class citizens in Indian Country” and diminish its sovereignty. Before Eshoo issued her letter, Lofgren said the City Council’s proposed resolution distorted the truth and warned of the impacts of circumventing the BIA’s process.
The Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana received recognition after Montana legislators attached a rider, an amendment that is not germane to a bill, to the National Defense Authorization Act in 2019. Before passage, the Little Shell Tribe was in the process of appealing the BIA’s denial.
Adding to the political intrigue, Nijmeh, a Democrat, has endorsed Peter Hernandez, Lofgren’s GOP challenger in the November election, who has pledged support for the Muwekma Ohlone’s recognition efforts.
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