Thursday is the deadline to challenge the Interior Department's decision to take 13,000 acres into trust for the Oneida Nation.

Four challenges are in the works. One from the state of New York and two counties, another from two towns, a third from Upstate Citizens for Equality and another from a group that includes the Citizens Equal Rights Alliance.

The state's lawsuit is based on 18 claims. According to The Utica Pennysaver, it raises a constitutional challenge to the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934.

At least three circuit courts have upheld the land-into-trust provisions as constitutional. The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to consider the issue in those cases.

Get the Story:
Multiple approaches planned in Oneida trust case (The Utica Pennysaver 6/16)

Relevant Documents:
Record of Decision | Final EIS (March 2008) | Draft EIS (November 2006)

From the Indianz.Com Archive:
BIA official calls high court ruling 'quite depressing' (March 31, 2005)
Major defeat for Oneida Nation in Supreme Court case (March 30, 2005)

Relevant Links:
Indian Nation Fee-to-Trust Land Acquisition Applications in New York State - http://www.dec.ny.gov/public/888.html
Oneida Indian Nation's Land Into Trust Application, Madison County - http://www.madisoncounty.org/motf/OINTrustMain.html

Sherrill v. Oneida Nation Decision:
Syllabus | Opinion [Ginsburg] | Concurrence [Souter] | Dissent [Stevens]

Related Stories:
Lawsuits mount over Oneida land-into-trust (6/12)
New York to sue over Oneida Nation land-into-trust (6/11)
Lawsuits over Oneida land-into-trust in the works (6/6)
Rep. Arcuri: Negotiate Oneida Nation land claim (6/6)
2nd Circuit hears Oneida land claim appeals (6/4)
2nd Circuit to hear appeals of Oneida land claim (6/2)
Oneida employees pleased by land-into-trust ruling (5/28)
Editorial: Fight Oneida land-into-trust decision (5/26)
New York governor criticizes Oneida decision (5/23)
Lawsuits awaited over Oneida land-into-trust (5/22)
Oneida Nation wins approval of land-into-trust application (05/21)
Editorial: Regulate Oneida Nation trust lands (5/16)
Editorial: Clarity on Oneida Nation land-into-trust (5/8)
Interior delays decision on Oneida land-into-trust (5/7)
Sen. Schumer seeks delay on Oneida land-into-trust (5/6)
Editorial: Questions on Oneida Nation land-into-trust (5/1)
Decision on Oneida land-into-trust due this week (4/28)
Wisconsin tribe objects to Oneida land-into-trust (4/25)
Rep. Acuri: Explaining Oneida land-into-trust rider (4/10)
Rep. Arcuri tried to block Oneida land-into-trust (4/9)
Cason 'elusive' on Oneida Nation decision (4/4)
BIA still reviewing Oneida Nation land-into-trust (3/31)
Oneida Nation, county meet for first time in years (3/28)
Oneida Nation asks BIA for all 17,000 acres in trust (3/25)
County discusses Oneida Nation land-into-trust (03/07)
Cason to follow through on Oneida land-into-trust (2/25)
BIA to rule on Oneida trust lands request (2/22)
Cason to brief counties on Oneida land-into-trust (2/22)