Unrecognized American Indian tribe prohibited from selling tribal memberships

A Texas judge ruled to prohibit an unrecognized American Indian tribe and its self-proclaimed chief from selling tribal memberships, thus falsely claiming the documents would provide protection from deportation.

American Indian tribe(www.cheroenhaka-nottoway.org)

District Judge Noe Gonzalez ruled that Malcolm Webber and his Wichita-based Kaweah Indian Nation by default admitted the allegations in a lawsuit filed by Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott. Gonzalez issued the ruling because the tribe and Webber failed to answer the lawsuit filed in August alleging they violated the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.

The lawsuit contended that the tribe sold memberships for up to $400 (273 EUR) per person to immigrants by saying that members could get a Social Security number. The lawsuit also alleged that immigrants were told they would be entitled to receive U.S. citizenship once the tribe was federally recognized.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs ruled in 1984 that the Kaweah group had no historical link to American Indian tribes and that Webber is not an Indian.

The civil action against two other defendants - Ralph Benny Tipton of San Antonio and Victor Ramirez of Edinburg, Texas - continues, said Paco Felici, spokesman for the Texas Attorney General's office. A trial date has not been set.

"We are obviously working as hard as we can to put a permanent end to this fraud and seek justice for harmed consumers," Felici said.

Tipton and Ramirez have not been criminally charged, but they have denied the allegations in the lawsuit. Their attorneys could not immediately be reached for comment Monday.

Monday's ruling prohibits Kaweah and Webber from selling memberships or representing the Kaweah Indian Nation as an acknowledged tribe. It also enjoins them from representing that being a member of the tribe will entitle a person to a Social Security number, protection from deportation and U.S. citizenship.