The Cherokee Nation Council voted to support litigation over the land-into-trust rights of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians.

The Cherokees sued the Bureau of Indian Affairs for approving the UKB's application for about 0.5 acres in Tahequah, the headquarters of the Cherokee Nation.

The improvident action and decision of the [Interior] Department threatens a devastating impact on the Nation's long-established sovereignty, jurisdiction and governance throughout the Nation's Treaty Territory," the complaint states.

The BIA determined that both tribes share jurisdiction within the former Cherokee Reservation.

Get the Story:
Tribal council approves lawsuit against BIA (The Tahlequah Daily Press 11/14)

Federal Register Notice:
Land Acquisitions; United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians of Oklahoma (August 7, 2012)

Bureau of Indian Affairs Documents:
May 24, 2011, Decision | September 10, 2010, Decision

Related Stories:
Opinion: United Keetoowah Band not equal to Cherokee Nation (03/02)
United Keetoowah treasurer returned land-into-trust bonus (11/10)
United Keetoowah council given bonuses over land-into-trust (11/8)
United Keetoowah Band hosts celebration for land-into-trust (6/22)
United Keetoowah Band hails BIA action on land-into-trust (05/26)
BIA approves United Keetoowah Band land-into-trust bid (5/25)
United Keetoowah Band hopeful for BIA land-into-trust approval (9/23)
Echo Hawk affirms UKB's right to follow land-into-trust process (09/13)
BIA holds off on Keetoowah Band land-into-trust (6/26)