Gun Lake Tribe seeks more trust land after victory at Supreme Court

Monday, March 19, 2018  

The Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians, also known as the Gun Lake Tribe, is seeking to restore more of its homelands in Michigan.

The tribe filed a land-into-trust application for 130 acres in Hopkins Township, MLive and The Townbroadcast reported. The site is near other tribal properties, including Jijak Camp and its governmental center.

The application isn't the tribe's first. But it appears to be the first since the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Patchak v. Zinke.

In a February 27 decision, the court held that Congress can protect the tribe's trust lands from litigation. The ruling ended a lawsuit that challenged the land-into-trust application for the tribe's casino.

The new property is across the road from the Gun Lake Casino but there are no plans to use it for gaming, The Townbroadcast reported.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs is reviewing the application.

Read More on the Story:
Gun Lake Tribe seeks to place 130 acres of Hopkins Township land in trust (MLive March 19, 2018)
Gun Lake Tribe wants to buy 130 acres in Hopkins Twp. (The Townbroadcast March 10, 2018)

U.S. Supreme Court Decision in Patchak v. Zinke:
Syllabus | Judgment [Thomas] | Concurrence [Breyer] | Concurrence [Ginsburg] | Concurrence [Sotomayor] | Dissent [Roberts] | Full Document: Patchak v. Zinke

More U.S. Supreme Court Documents:
Oral Argument Transcript | Docket Sheet No. 16-498 | Questions Presented

D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals Decision:
Patchak v. Jewell (July 15, 2016)

U.S. Supreme Court Decision:
Patchak v. Jewell (June 18, 2012)

Prior D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals Decision:
Patchak v. Salazar (January 21, 2011)

Gun Lake Tribe welcomes victory as Supreme Court puts end to homelands lawsuit (February 27, 2018)
Supreme Court sides with Indian Country in long-running homelands case (February 27, 2018)
National Congress of American Indians praises win in homelands case (February 27, 2018)