Bradley: Blood quantum rule violates Navajo law, tradition
WINDOW ROCK
In a 13-page opinion, Acting Attorney General Colin W. Bradley ruled that the Nation’s long-standing one-fourth blood quantum requirement for tribal enrollment violates the Navajo Bill of Rights and traditional Diné principles of belonging.
The opinion, AG-03-25, titled “Regarding the Use of Blood Quantum in Membership,” directs the Office of Vital Records and Identification and the Enrollment Screening Committee to recognize Navajo ancestry and cultural knowledge as valid bases for enrollment when applicants cannot document one-fourth Navajo blood under federal records.
“Strict enforcement of the ¼-blood-quantum requirement to deny enrollment without consideration of Navajo cultural factors violates the rights of Navajo children,” Bradley wrote. “Enrollment must be determined on a case-by-case basis if the applicant can demonstrate Navajo ancestry and cultural knowledge.”
To read the full article, please see the Oct. 23, 2025, edition of the Navajo Times.
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