Leaders of the Cayuga Nation say recent claims of harassment and unlawful evictions misrepresent a long-running effort to enforce tribal law and protect Nation-owned property.
In a written rebuttal released this week, Nation leadership said the allegations distract from what they describe as a 15-year process to restore order and accountability within the Cayuga Nation. The statement responds directly to claims raised by Gayogoho:no’ traditional clan families ahead of a public meeting in Seneca Falls.
Nation leaders say the dispute centers on housing owned by the Cayuga Nation within its federally recognized reservation. According to the rebuttal, the Nation owns about 50 housing units and requires residents to pay income-adjusted rent, similar to other Haudenosaunee nations.
The statement claims problems began in 2011, when occupants of 14 Nation-owned homes stopped paying rent despite signed leases. Nation officials say those residents accumulated large debts over more than a decade while continuing to live in the homes.
After New York’s highest court ruled in 2019 that such matters fall outside state jurisdiction, the Nation says it established its own court system and police department. Leaders say each resident facing eviction received a hearing before a Nation judge.
According to the rebuttal, 12 of the 14 properties have since been returned to the Nation. Officials say most were repaired and re-leased, while others were condemned and demolished due to severe damage.
The statement also addresses claims of threatened banishment. Nation leaders say banishment is a lawful sovereign process used to protect community safety and enforce Nation law. They say individuals referenced in recent claims were subject to due process and excluded for reasons including unpaid rent and operating illegal smokeshops.
The rebuttal adds that the Nation continues to move forward economically, citing job growth, profit distributions to citizens, and financial support for local fire departments and first responders.
Nation leaders say they will continue enforcing tribal law while challenging what they describe as misinformation about their actions.
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