Seeking Public Comment on the Salinan Tribe's Petition for Federal Recognition

Submit comments by email to:
Ofa_Info [at] bia.gov

Submit comments by mail to:
Department of the Interior, Office of the Assistant Secretary—Indian Affairs
Attention: Office of Federal Acknowledgment
Mail Stop 4071 MIB
1849 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20240

What's the purpose of federal recognition?
Federal recognition allows tribes to establish tribal governments with some measure of sovereignty. Non-recognized tribes can form tribal organizations but lack sovereign powers.

What's the process for federal recognition?
To be federally recognized, a tribe must demonstrate that:
They have been identified as an American Indian entity since 1900
A large portion of the tribe has existed as a distinct community since historical times