The Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida are “disappointed” with President Donald Trump’s decision this week to veto legislation that would have given them more control of some of its tribal lands.
In a letter to Congress explaining his veto, Trump appeared to be punishing the Tribe for its opposition to Alligator Alcatraz, the immigration detention center built last summer in the Everglades.
“The Miccosukee Tribe has actively sought to obstruct reasonable immigration policies that the American people decisively voted for when I was elected,” Trump wrote.
The Miccosukee Tribe last year joined the federal lawsuit with two environmental groups, Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity, alleging that federal and state agencies didn't follow federal law requiring an environmental review for the detention center in the middle of sensitive wetlands.
In a statement Wednesday, Tribe Chairman Talbert Cypress said the legislation Trump vetoed had widespread support and was crucial to safeguarding the environment.
“The Osceola Camp, a historic Miccosukee community within Everglades National Park, faces serious flood and environmental risks,” Cypress said.
“[This] measure reflected years of bipartisan work and was intended to clarify land status and support basic protections for tribal members who have lived in this area for generations — before the roads and canals were built, and before Everglades National Park was created."
“It was not about special treatment, but about public safety, environmental stewardship, and honoring long-recognized tribal interests," Cypress added.
READ MORE: Miccosukee Tribe confident of winning legal battle against state, feds over Alligator Alcatraz
The bill had bipartisan support in Congress and had been noncontroversial until the White House announced Trump's vetoes Tuesday night.
The Florida legislation had been sponsored by U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Miami, whom Trump has endorsed.
When asked whether the vetoes were punishment, the White House did not answer and instead referred to Trump's statements explaining the vetoes.
Congress can override the vetoes by a vote of two-thirds of the members of the House and the Senate, but it’s unclear if there’s enough support in the Republican-controlled chambers to do so, especially heading into a midterm election year where many of them will be on the ballot and many GOP members will count on Trump’s backing.
Cypress, in its statement Wednesday, said the Tribe has backed Trump's for years, noting its late chairman, Billy Cypress, "enjoyed a friendship with President Trump and was an early supporter of his campaign in 2016.”
But Cypress also defended its lawsuit against the administration, saying it has "a constitutional duty to protect and defend the Everglades ecosystem, our traditional homelands.”
“We have never sought to obstruct the President’s immigration agenda," Cypress said. "“Instead, we have taken action to ensure sufficient environmental due diligence is performed to protect federal restoration investments.”
“The Tribe remains fully committed to continuing collaboration with Congress, the Florida delegation, and our federal partners to restore the Everglades in the interest of millions of Americans who live in South Florida,” Cypress said.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
