Tribe Sees Court Decision as a Grave Injustice to Indigenous People

This evening we learned that the First Circuit Court of Appeals declined to overturn Judge Young's decision in the lower court.  The decision has no impact on the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe’s pending litigation in Washington, D.C., and its land will not be taken out of trust as a result of today's decision.  The Tribe will continue this fight and continue its plea that the United States Congress take action – the Tribe will not give up the fight to protect its lands.

Chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Cedric Cromwell was disappointed in the decision but remains focused on the next step.

“There’s no question that this is a grave injustice,” said Chairman Cromwell. “Much of this case revolved around the ambiguity of two words – ‘now’ and ‘such.’ We will continue to fight, as our ancestors did, to preserve our land base, our culture and our spiritual connection to our homelands.”

The tribe is also working with the Congressional delegation, and the US House of Representatives who overwhelmingly - and in bi-partisan fashion - passed two legislative proposals to correct this injustice to the Mashpee Wampanoag people and all tribes.