Native American Organization Wants Answers on Land Decision

MASHPEE — The National Congress of American Indians is asking the Trump administration to explain the decision not to recognize the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe.

The country's largest Native American organization said on Tuesday that it strongly disagrees with the U.S. Department of the Interior's decision to reverse the ruling on land being held in trust for the Cape Cod tribe.

The American Indian organization has asked the agency to explain what last week's decision signifies for Indian land policy going forward.

In 2015, the Interior Department took 321 acres near Taunton intro trust for the Mashpee. The following year, a federal judge asked the agency to reconsider after local residents who opposed the building of a resort casino on the land began a lawsuit.

According to abc6.com, the last is still in trust pending a final court order.