Army Corps returns Native remains from Detroit's Fort Wayne
Published Date: 3/18/2025
Notice
Summary
The Detroit District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers found Native American human remains near historic Fort Wayne in Detroit. They plan to return these remains to the right Native American tribes starting April 17, 2025. If no one claims them by March 18, 2026, the remains will be considered unclaimed.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Listed Tribes Have Disposition Priority
The Detroit District has identified that the human remains are Native American and gives priority for their return to the following tribes: Citizen Potawatomi Nation (Oklahoma); Forest County Potawatomi Community (Wisconsin); Hannahville Indian Community (Michigan); Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians (Michigan); Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi (Michigan); Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians (Michigan and Indiana); and the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. These listed tribes (and any qualifying lineal descendant) have the first right to request disposition of the remains.
Deadline to Claim the Remains
If you are a lineal descendant or an Indian Tribe that wants the remains, written claims must be received by March 18, 2026. If no claim is received by that date, the human remains will be considered unclaimed.
Disposition Timing and Competing Claims Process
The Detroit District may carry out disposition on or after April 17, 2025. If competing claims are received, the Detroit District must determine the most appropriate claimant before disposition, and requests for joint disposition are treated as a single request rather than competing requests.
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