WASHINGTON (WTVD) — The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina got a significant boost Thursday in its fight to become a federally recognized tribe.
President Donald Trump, just days into his second term, advanced recognition of the tribe in a Memorandum for the Secretary of the Interior.
Trump signed the memo Thursday afternoon that would encourage the Department of the Interior to promote and pursue federal recognition of the Lumbees.
WATCH | Trump signs directive advancing Lumbee cause
Raw video as President Trump signs memorandum moving Lumbees a step closer to federal recognition.
“I love the Lumbee Tribe, so this is their first big step, right?” Trump said. “They were with me all the way, they were great, North Carolina Lumbee Tribe.”
The possibility of it becoming a reality has many excited. That includes 57-year-old James Locklear, a Robeson County native who is the editor and chief of Native Visions Magazine, a publication that highlights the achievements and accomplishments of the Lumbee Tribe.
“I was on my way to the gym and my wife said, hey, Trump just signed the Lumbee bill.’ I’m like, whoa. Didn’t expect to hear that,” said Locklear, a Lumbee Tribe member. “Ecstatic. Lot of buzz here in the community. People are excited.”
It lets people know who we are. So many people out there that say you’re not real Indians, not real Native Americans. Well doggonit, we are. We have been for a long time.
– James Locklear, Lumbee tribe member
In an official statement to ABC11, the Lumbee Tribe expressed its appreciation of the action.
“The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina is thrilled to learn that President Donald J. Trump signed a memorandum that establishes the United States of America’s support for the tribe’s full federal recognition,” a spokesperson for the Tribe wrote. “The tribal administration expresses deep appreciation to President Trump as he moves forward with this executive action. Tribal Chairman John L. Lowery says this action is a direct follow-through of the campaign promises made by the president and shows his dedication to the Lumbee people.”
Numerous North Carolina lawmakers introduced a bill last Thursday to formally recognize the Lumbee.
“I would like to thank President Trump for keeping his promise to the more than 60,000 members of the Lumbee Tribe in North Carolina who have waited decades for federal recognition,” said US Sen. Ted Budd, R, NC. “Today’s action underscores the urgent need to pass the Lumbee Fairness Act, which Senator Tillis and I reintroduced earlier this month. We will continue to work with the president, the Interior Department, and my congressional colleagues to get this bill passed and signed into law.”
The legislation would provide what lawmakers called long-overdue federal recognition and protections for the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.
“I applaud President Donald J. Trump’s executive order to prioritize the Lumbee Tribe’s fight for full federal recognition and the federal benefits they have long been denied,” said US Sen. Thom Tillis, R-NC. “In September 2024, President Trump made a promise to the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina to right the historical wrongs of the Indian Termination Era, and today’s executive order is a major step to correcting that wrong. I remain committed to working with President Trump and the North Carolina Congressional Delegation in a bipartisan, bicameral manner to pass the Lumbee Fairness Act to ensure the Lumbee Tribe’s federal recognition is secure and free from legal obstacles.”
North Carolina formally recognized the Lumbee Tribe in 1885, and the Tribe began to seek full federal recognition in 1888. The Lumbees have deep cultural roots in North Carolina.
“It lets people know who we are,” Locklear said. “So many people out there that say you’re not real Indians, not real Native Americans. Well doggonit, we are. We have been for a long time. We knew who we are. We knew who our ancestors were.”
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In part the memo Trump signed stated: “Considering the Lumbee Tribe’s historical and modern significance, it is the policy of the United States to support the full Federal recognition, including the authority to receive full Federal benefits, of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.”
US Rep. Richard Hudson took to social media to thank Trump “for taking action to right the historic wrong done to the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. Congress must codify this federal recognition with the Lumbee Fairness Act.”
However, some resistance to Thursday’s events emerged. Other North Carolina Indian tribes have long opposed full recognition for the Lumbees or questioned the process.
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, who previously expressed concerns about the Lumbees, reacted to the new developments.
We understand President Trump’s desire to conduct due diligence in exploring federal recognition for the Lumbee. That instinct is correct – facts relating to tribal history and the existence of Indian ancestry must be at the heart of any federal recognition decision,” said Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Principal Chief Michell Hicks. “Recognition is a profound act with far-reaching consequences, and it must be based on objective evaluations of provable historical and genealogical evidence to protect the integrity of tribal nationhood.
“While the President directs the Department of the Interior to develop a plan for exploring pathways to recognition – through legislative, judicial, or administrative processes – it does not grant federal recognition to the Lumbee Tribe. Nor does it override or bypass the established Office of Federal Acknowledgment (OFA) process. Instead, it signals the need for a thoughtful and structured review of Lumbee’s claims, which we believe must be conducted under the rigorous standards of the OFA.
“The Lumbees have a history of shifting claims, including claiming Cherokee ancestry and other historical tribes,” Hicks continued. “Experts have repeatedly found that their claims cannot be verified through historical or genealogical evidence. Any process for evaluating Lumbee’s claims must be rooted in objective standards and a thorough, evidence-based review. Self-identification and sincere belief in Indian ancestry, while meaningful on a personal level, cannot mean tribal nationhood and sovereignty.”
Hicks added that the Cherokee believe the OFA process must be followed to consider recognition for the Lumbee or any group claiming to be a tribe.
Trump’s action Thursday gives the federal government 90 days to act on the order and present a plan to the president.
“We urge the Department of the Interior to ensure that due diligence and factual analysis guide their recommendations to President Trump,” Hicks said. “Protecting the integrity of federal recognition is critical-not just for the American people but also for the hundreds of tribal nations whose sovereignty must not be put at risk.”
