Law
State claims right to raid trust land in Kansas


Authorities in Kansas raided the Wyandotte Nation's gaming facility in downtown Kansas City on Friday, claiming the right to enforce state laws on Indian land.

The small parcel was taken into trust for the tribe by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The tribe has been operating Class II machines, owned by Multimedia Games of Texas, on the land. State authorities seized about 150 of the machines in the early morning raid.

In a legal opinion, the National Indian Gaming Commission ruled that the casino is illegal. But the agency also said the tribe has jurisdictional authority over the land.

There is no precedent for state authorities to enter trust land for alleged violations of state law that occur on trust land. The U.S. Supreme Court considered, but did not rule, on this issue in the Inyo County v. Bishop Paiute Tribe case.

There is precedent to state authorities to enter trust land for alleged violations of state law that occur off trust land. The U.S. Supreme Court, in the Nevada v. Hicks, decision allowed state game officials to go onto a reservation to investigate a crime that occurred elsewhere.

Get the Story:
Officials shut down casino in early morning raid (The Kansas City Star 4/3)
Officials close Wyandotte casino (The Daily Oklahoman 4/3)
pwpwd
Kansas Puts Tribe's Bingo Parlor Out Of Business (AP 4/3)
pwpwd

Get the Decision:
Legality of Gaming under the IGRA on the Shriner Tract owned by the Wyandotte Tribe (March 24, 2003)

Other Documents:
BIA: Reconsideration on Wyandotte lands (June 12, 2003)

Relevant Links:
Wyandotte Nation of Oklahama - http://www.wyandotte-nation.org/home.html

Related Stories:
Review and Outlook: Odds on reservation shopping (4/1)
Wyandotte Nation's casino in Kansas remains open (4/1)
Status of Wyandotte Nation casino up on the air (3/31)
Opinion: Wyandotte casino drew people downtown (3/31)
NIGC bars out-of-state casino for Okla. tribe (3/26)
Wyandotte casino in Kansas City told to close (3/26)
BIA issues decision on Wyandotte land in Kan. (07/25)
Column: 'Bad business deal' with tribe (11/12)
Column: 'Bad business deal' with tribe (11/12)
Wyandotte casino agreement approved (11/08)
Bush asked to oppose tribal land bill (10/25)
Casino money donated in Kan. race (10/24)
Kan. tribe blasts casino settlement bill (10/11)
Bill to settle land claim for casino (10/10)
Class action sought on land claim (08/27)
Column: Hostility at land claim forum (08/14)
Forum on Wyandotte lawsuit planned (08/06)
Kan. landowners served with tribe's suit (7/19)
Wyandotte land claim still alive (5/10)
Wyandotte trust land notice clarified (5/9)
In The Hoop: Oops!(5/8)
Wyandotte Nation to remove slots (5/1)
Is Wyandotte chief bluffing on casino? (4/26)
Wyandotte Nation moves on casino (4/18)
Wyandotte Tribe brazen on casino (4/17)
Kansas casino battle continues (4/15)
Okla. tribe brings slots to Kansas (4/12)
McCaleb affirms trust land decision (3/12)
Supreme Court refuses Wyandotte review (1/7)
Congress kills Wyandotte casino project (10/15)
Wyandotte company awarded $100M contract (8/17)
Sides prepare for land claim battle (6/21)
Battle over Kansas casino continues (2/28)
Wyandotte Nation sues over gaming (9/22)
Tribes oppose casino (9/15)