Interior Department Revokes Alaska Tribal Land Authority Opinion

Deputy Secretary of the Interior Kate MacGregor revoked a Biden-era legal opinion on September 25, 2025, that granted Alaska tribes authority over federal trust land allotments. MacGregor stated the previous interpretation "does not reflect the best interpretation of applicable law."

The reversal jeopardizes the legal status of two tribal gaming projects. These include the open Chin’an Gaming Hall, operated by the Native Village of Eklutna in Birchwood, and a facility under construction by the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska on Douglas Island. Both projects relied on the revoked opinion to bypass jurisdictional hurdles.

The Government of Alaska supported the decision, having previously argued that the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971 extinguished most tribal jurisdiction. Alaska Attorney General-designee Stephen Cox stated the action restores the jurisdictional balance intended by Congress and noted he was encouraged that the Interior Department returned to a position grounded in the state's unique history.

While the Native Village of Eklutna maintains that its gaming hall remains open, the Department of the Interior and the National Indian Gaming Commission must now re-evaluate all actions taken under the previous legal interpretation.