How Pechanga Tribal Law Was Ignored — and How Justice Can Still Be Restored Part TWO of Three

 Part TWO of THREE

Pechanga's Illegal Disenrollment of 2006

Despite the repeal of disenrollment procedures effective June 19, 2005, the lineal descendants of Paulina Hunter were disenrolled on March 16, 2006.

By that date:

• The disenrollment procedures no longer existed

• The Enrollment Committee had no lawful authority to investigate or act

• Tribal law explicitly protected those already on the membership roll

Any action taken under repealed procedures is legally void. As a matter of basic governance, decisions made without lawful authority cannot stand.

This is why the 2006 disenrollment was not merely unfair—it was illegal under Pechanga’s own laws.

Why This Matters Beyond One Family

This issue is not just about one disenrollment case. It raises fundamental questions:

• Does Pechanga law mean what it says?

• Does the General Council’s authority matter?

• Are elected officials bound by tribal law, or only when convenient?

A tribe’s sovereignty is strongest when its laws are followed. Ignoring duly enacted law weakens governance, erodes trust, and harms the entire community.