On July 22, 2025, the City Council of Union City, California, unanimously passed Resolution No. 2025-107, calling on the U.S. Congress, the Department of the Interior, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to reaffirm federal recognition of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe of the San Francisco Bay Area. The resolution, introduced by Councilmember Jaime Patino and passed with a 5-0 vote, underscores the tribe’s historical and cultural significance and demands justice for a decades-long struggle against bureaucratic erasure.
“This was a long time coming. I’m glad we did the right thing,” said Councilmember Patino, reflecting on the council’s decision. The resolution was followed by a letter sent on August 5, 2025, by City Clerk Thai Nam Pham to Representative Eric Swalwell, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, Bureau of Indian Affairs Director Bryan Mercier, and other Bay Area congressional representatives, urging immediate action to restore the tribe’s federal status.
The Muwekma Ohlone Tribe, whose ancestral lands span Union City and much of the San Francisco Bay Area, has been documented as the Verona Band since 1906, maintaining a trust relationship with the federal government. Despite this, the tribe was omitted from the BIA’s initial list of federally recognized tribes in 1978, an error that has never been corrected. The tribe was never terminated by an act of Congress, and its members have been enrolled under the 1928 California Jurisdictional Act, with approval from the BIA, the Secretary of the Interior, and federal courts. A federal district court in the Northern District of California has also affirmed the tribe’s sovereign immunity.
With over 614 enrolled members residing in the Bay Area, the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe has maintained a distinct cultural, social, and political identity for over 230 years, despite enduring genocide and political marginalization. Their ancestors were missionized into the Santa Clara, San Jose, and San Francisco missions during the Spanish Empire’s expansion in Alta California from 1769 to 1836. Muwekma Ohlone men and women have also served honorably in every major U.S. military conflict since World War I, continuing their contributions to the nation.
Tribal Chairwoman Charlene Nijmeh praised Union City’s leadership, stating, “We applaud Union City’s leadership, its wonderful Mayor, and its incredible Council for having the courage to do the right thing, to stand up for our people, and to call on those in power to put politics aside and finally correct this longstanding injustice.” She also criticized external influences, alleging that “dirty casino gaming money has been corrupting our Congress,” describing it as “the scandal of the century.”
The resolution highlights the tribe’s ongoing fight for federal recognition, a battle spanning over 45 years through petitions, court cases, and advocacy. It emphasizes that federal recognition would grant the tribe access to critical funding for healthcare, education, economic development, and the protection of their cultural heritage and ancestral lands. The resolution also calls for equal treatment under the law, recognizing the tribe’s historical, social, military, and political contributions.
Union City’s action contrasts with a stalled effort in San Jose in 2024, where a similar resolution was derailed after Representatives Zoe Lofgren and Anna Eshoo sent letters to the San Jose City Council, prompting Mayor Matt Mahan to delay the vote. Tribe members and supporters have criticized these interventions as politically motivated and influenced by special interests.
Lofgren and Eshoo have been hellbent on thwarting the Tribe’s recognition efforts to protect the 68 Indian casinos who see Muwekma’s aboriginal territory as a lucrative market from which they all draw. As such, the State’s gaming tribes have spent heavily on political contributions and lobbyists to prevent the Tribe from being reaffirmed.
Mayor Gary Singh affirmed Union City’s stance, declaring, “Union City stands firmly in support of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe’s sovereignty and federal recognition.”
The City of Union City now joins a growing coalition of local governments, organizations, and community leaders advocating for the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe’s federal recognition.
The Indigenous Justice Coalition, a youth-led organization founded at Bellermine College Preparatory by Aaron He, played a critical role in mobilizing the community in support of the passage of the Resolution.
“This is part of a broader movement that is gaining momentum across the Bay Area from citizens and municipalities in support of federal recognition,” He said.
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