United Keetoowah Band deemed “successor in interest” to Cherokee Reservation in federal memo
United Keetoowah Band deemed “successor in interest” to Cherokee Reservation in federal memo
By Staff, Cherokee 411
TAHLEQUAH, Okla. (March 3, 2025) – In a last-minute move during the closing days of the Biden administration, the U.S. Department of the Interior’s solicitor issued a memorandum affirming that the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians (UKB) holds an ownership interest in the Cherokee Reservation as a successor in interest to the tribal signatory of the Treaty of 1846
Authored by Solicitor Robert T. Anderson on Jan. 17, the memo concludes that the UKB qualifies for land‑into‑trust status under the Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act, enjoying exclusive tribal jurisdiction over its trust lands. It further states that such lands taken into trust for gaming purposes within the reservation would be deemed “Indian lands” under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act
Though the memo carries legal weight within federal agencies, it does not constitute final approval of any trust application — the Bureau of Indian Affairs will review any future submissions .
UKB officials hailed the memo as a long‑sought affirmation of equal standing with the Cherokee Nation. “We’ve been saying all along that we are equal to the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma,” said Tori Holland, UKB Tribal Council attorney
The Cherokee Nation, however, issued a sharp rebuke. Attorney General Chad Harsha called the memo “deeply flawed” and announced plans to challenge it, asserting the decision misrepresents Cherokee history
The memo’s historical analysis traces the UKB’s lineage back to the Keetoowah Society of the mid‑19th century and highlights significant parallel governance between the UKB and Cherokee Nation following the dissolution of the Cherokee government as U.S. statehood approached
Though limited in scope—focusing on trust land applications—the memo has broader implications for criminal jurisdiction, gaming compacts, and possibly healthcare services for UKB members .
What’s at stake
The UKB has a pending Bureau of Indian Affairs application to place a 2‑acre site in Tahlequah, formerly the location of a casino, into federal trust. The memo strengthens their claim—but does not yet grant it
As legal conflict unfolds, the UKB and Cherokee Nation prepare for an escalating dispute over governance, tribal sovereignty, and economic development.
Image: With now-United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians Chief Jeff Wacoche watching, Osage Nation Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear shakes the hand of Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. during the state of Oklahoma's inaugural event Monday, Jan. 9, 2023. (Michael Duncan)
