Isleta Pueblo in New Mexico is requiring all non-members who live on the reservation or want to live on the reservation to undergo a criminal background check for $50.

All non-members must also sign an agreement to submit to the "laws, rules, regulations, customs and traditions" of the tribe, Gov. Frank Lujan told The Valencia County News-Bulletin.

"Primarily, the intent of this ordinance is to know who resides within the lands of the pueblo,” Lujan told the paper. “The ordinance has been well received by the majority of the members, including those who have non-member spouses or who have significant others.”

Some tribal members, including a sitting council member and a former council member who was ousted for criticizing other tribal leaders, disagree with the new ordinance. They say it could lead to abuses.

Get the Story:
Non-Tribal Residents of Isleta Pueblo Must Undergo Background Checks (The Albuquerque Journal 2/29)