OKMULGEE – On Aug. 28, Muscogee (Creek) Nation Principal Chief David Hill issued Executive Order 25-05, which outlines the Freedmen citizenship application process.
The order followed an Aug. 27 motion for contempt filed by Grayson and Kennedy in SC 2023-10. The motion asked the MCN Supreme Court to hold the MCN Citizenship Board in contempt for failing to issue citizenship to Grayson and Kennedy as ordered. The stated objective of the motion was to ensure that Grayson and Kennedy were given MCN citizenship in time to register to vote in the 2025 MCN election. The deadline to register to vote is Sept. 9.
The motion for contempt was denied by the court Aug. 28. According to order:
Neither this Court’s Order and Opinion, nor its subsequent Order Denying Petition for Rehearing directed the Appellant to process the Respondents’ citizenship applications by a date certain, nor did it guarantee this task would be completed in time for Respondents (or other similarly situated applicants) to participate in the 2025 Muscogee (Creek) Nation election cycle. This Court understands the Respondents’ excitement to participate in official Mvskoke exercises of citizenship, but it also understands that its decision represents a significant change in the Appellant’s policies and procedures, and that it may take a reasonable amount of time to establish appropriate changes to the Appellant’s internal policies in order to fairly and lawfully process Respondents’ (and other similarly situated applicant’s) citizenship applications. Only one (1) week has passed since this Court issued its Order Denying Appellant’s Petition for Rehearing. This Court is not inclined to consider contempt, or other Rule 20 penalties at this time.
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the Respondents’ August 27, 2025, Motion for Contempt and for Court Enforcement of Order and Judgment is DENIED for the reasons explained above.
On the same day the MCNSC issued its denial order, Principal Chief Hill issued Executive Order 25-05, with the stated purpose “to establish the framework for incorporating the qualification requirements in Article II of the Treaty of 1866 in Muscogee (Creek) Nation law for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Citizenship Office, pursuant to the Supreme Court order in case SC 2023-10.”
According to Executive Order 25-05:
The Office of the Principal Chief hereby declares and directs the Citizenship Office to continue accepting applications from Freedmen descendant applicants, but not issue citizenship cards or any form of membership identification cards to such persons until all law and policy have been fully reviewed and amended to meet the qualification requirements under Article II of the Treaty of 1866.
The Office of the Principal Chief further declares and directs the Citizenship Office to maintain the status quo by continuing to accept, process, and issue determinations for applications for new Mvskoke citizens in accordance with current law and policy.
All departments are hereby directed to maintain the status quo in daily operations by continuing to follow the established policies and procedures for services they provide and, also, such department heads should begin reviewing such policies and procedures to propose necessary amendments to be consistent with the Order.
When the necessary reviews are complete, we will follow the normal processes established by the Executive Branch to review and approve prior to the setting forth the adoption of changes.
Where necessary changes require National Council approval, each department will submit those changes to the Office of Principal Chief, in accordance with established procedures, and the Principal Chief will submit the changes to the National Council for its review and approval.
