Navajo Nation's Blood Quantum Rule Challenged
Acting Attorney General Colin W. Bradley has issued a 13-page opinion stating that the Navajo Nation's one-fourth blood quantum requirement for tribal enrollment violates the Navajo Bill of Rights and traditional Diné principles of belonging.
The opinion, titled "Regarding the Use of Blood Quantum in Membership," instructs the Office of Vital Records and Identification and the Enrollment Screening Committee to consider Navajo ancestry and cultural knowledge as valid bases for enrollment.
Strict enforcement of the ¼-blood-quantum requirement to deny enrollment without consideration of Navajo cultural factors violates the rights of Navajo children.
Bradley's opinion emphasizes that enrollment must be determined on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the applicant's ability to demonstrate Navajo ancestry and cultural knowledge.
Author's Summary
Navajo Nation's blood quantum rule is deemed unlawful by the Acting Attorney General.