Washington’s Political Gridlock Stalls Lumbee Tribe’s Long-Awaited Federal Recognition

For over four decades, the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina has pursued a simple but vital goal: formal federal recognition as a sovereign nation. Yet despite promises from both major political parties and an early executive order by President Trump signaling progress, their quest remains mired in Washington’s partisan gridlock and bureaucratic inertia. Why Does Federal Recognition for the Lumbee Matter? Federal acknowledgment is not merely symbolic. It unlocks critical resources guaranteed through treaty rights and congressional acts—healthcare via the Indian Health Service, access to essential grants, and control over ancestral lands. For hardworking American families within the Lumbee community,...