The Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria are proud to be the first tribe to introduce groundbreaking language into its constitution prohibiting disenrollment. The following are excerpts from the Constitution of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, as well as our Citizenship Statute, outlining the Tribe’s stance on Loss of Citizenship.

Visit http://stopdisenrollment.com for more information on this issue and how to get involved.

Article II: Citizenship

Section 6. Loss of Citizenship

Without exception, no Base Roll or Lineal Citizen may lose their citizenship or be disenrolled except as set forth herein:

1. Fraud or Mistake. Any person who was enrolled as a Lineal Citizen may lose their citizenship for fraud or any mistake within three (3) years after they were enrolled.
2. Dual Enrollment. Any citizen who is enrolled as a member or citizen in any other federally recognized Indian tribe shall be deemed to have relinquished his or her citizenship.
3. Relinquishment. By voluntary relinquishment of citizenship including relinquishment of citizenship of minor children by their parent(s).
4. Effect of Loss of Citizenship. Loss of citizenship by any person whose name appears on the Base Roll shall not affect the eligibility of or citizenship status of their descendants except in accordance with subsection (C) of this Section 6. Loss of citizenship is applicable only to the person in question, and his or her descendants remain as citizens or remain eligible if they would otherwise meet the criteria for citizenship.

Section 8. Amendment of this Article

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Constitution, this Article may not be further amended except when approved by two-thirds of the General Council in a duly-conducted tribal special election.

Section 7.4 of the Citizenship Statute:

Under the Article II, Section 5 of the Constitution, the Tribal Council may suspend, but not terminate, citizenship rights. As a check and balance of the power of the Tribal Council, and because the Tribe currently has no tribal court with jurisdiction to hear suspension appeals, any decision of the Tribal Council to suspend a Tribal Citizen shall be brought to the General Council for ratification at its next meeting following the Tribal Council’s suspension decision.