Lumbee Federal Partnership Grows as Washington Shows Up in Pembroke

Recognition means more when Washington shows up. That is happening in Pembroke. On October 23, 2026, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs William Kirkland joined U.S. Representative David Rouzer of North Carolina to meet Lumbee Tribal Chairman John Lowery and tribal leaders in Robeson County, North Carolina. Carolina Journal reported the talks covered law enforcement, drug interdiction, and disaster response.

This Lumbee federal partnership is off to a professional and welcoming start.

Lumbee Federal Recognition Took 137 Years

The Lumbee first sought full federal recognition in 1888. After decades of partial acknowledgment under the 1956 Lumbee Act, President Trump signed the Lumbee Fairness Act into law on December 18, 2025, inside the annual defense bill. He had backed recognition in a January 2025 directive to the Interior Department, and Congress finished the job. In January 2026, the tribe joined the Federal Register list of 575 recognized tribal entities.

Federal Agencies Are Building Trust with the Lumbee Nation

The groundwork started early. In spring 2026, a Bureau of Indian Affairs acknowledgment official visited Pembroke to review enrollment procedures, and the tribe reported she praised its digital records process. Mullin, a Cherokee Nation citizen, told Lumbee leaders, “You guys never gave up on the fight.” Kirkland, who has worked with Lumbee leadership for nearly a decade, tied progress to keeping families safe, while Lowery named drugs as one of the biggest issues at home.

A Strong Lumbee Federal Partnership Honors Sovereignty

Sovereignty grows when federal partners listen first and follow through. More than 55,000 Lumbee citizens are finally on the path to full federal services! Land into trust, tribal courts, health care, and housing still need steady work. NASP has celebrated the historic Lumbee recognition win from the start. Keep showing up.