Descendants of Dakota Indians have filed a new federal lawsuit, hoping to reclaim 12 square miles in southern Minnesota.
The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court on behalf of the great great-grandchildren of Dakota who helped white settlers during the U.S.-Dakota War 152 years ago.
If successful, roughly 100 farmers in Renville, Sibley and Redwood counties would be among those "ejected" from the 12 miles near Morton, Minn.
The legal action is the latest attempt in what has amounted to years of litigation from the great-great grandchildren of so-called "friendly" Dakota who helped white settlers during the U.S.-Dakota War 152 years ago.
An 1863 act of Congress, which has never been repealed, set aside 12 miles for the Dakota who stayed out of the bloody, five-week war and aided white settlers.
A similar attempt to collect damages wound its way through federal claims court, eventually losing on appeal after nearly a dozen years of litigation.
"People wrote us off for dead, but that ruling left the door open to reclaim land in U.S. District Court, so it's not as far-fetched a concept as it might appear on its face," said attorney Erick Kaardal, who filed the suit on behalf of as many as 20,000 Dakota descendants.
If his suit succeeds, not only farmers would be kicked off the land, but schools, churches and even the Lower Sioux Community which runs Jackpot Junction casino on its current reservation near Morton.
