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What does it mean for a tribe to
be Federally Recognized?
A tribe that has been Federally Recognized has gone
through the long, complicated and expensive process
of petitioning, or asking, the Federal government
to recognize, or accept, their American Indian group
as a “tribe.” Native groups petitioning
the US Government to be federally recognized must
meet certain criteria, or conditions, through documentation
and evidence—such as tribal census information
and state or federal records. For some tribes, the
process of petitioning lasts years and many tribes’
petitions are not accepted.
Through the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Federally Recognized
tribes have access to a range of federal services
in education, social services, law enforcement, health
services and resource protection. Federally recognized
tribes do not receive a monthly check from the US
Government because of their status as Indians. There
is no basis for this belief other than misinformation
and misconception of the status of American Indians.
Some tribes give out payments to their members when
there is income from the sale of tribal assets such
as timber or oil and gas. This is a decision made
by each tribe’s government, not the federal
government. (http://www.doi.gov/benefits.html)
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