Memorandum Directing Federal Recognition of Lumbee Tribe
On January 23, 2025, the Trump administration signed Memorandum 2025-02124 directing federal recognition of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. The memorandum instructs the Department of Interior to grant federal tribal status to the Lumbee Nation, a tribe with approximately 55,000 enrolled members. Federal recognition grants the tribe access to federal benefits, services, and the ability to establish tribal sovereignty including law enforcement and self-governance on tribal lands.