The Ak-Chin Indian Community and multiple other tribes have filed suit against the U.S. Treasury Department and seek a federal court order to release $8 billion in promised but overdue COVID-19 relief funding.

The money was allotted as part of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act to help native tribes respond to the COVID-19 crisis. The legislation mandated the U.S. Treasury Department disburse the funds no later than April 26. The relief funding is needed to avert economic and fiscal devastation, as tribal businesses and gaming facilities remain shuttered and tribal governments have shouldered significant added costs in responding to the public health crisis.

“All that we ask is for the timely release of federal relief aid that was promised so that the Ak-Chin Indian Community and other Tribal governments may respond to this unprecedented crisis,” said Ak-Chin Chairman Robert Miguel. “Indian Country has suffered disproportionately under this pandemic. As with other tribes, we’ve declared an emergency and closed tribal businesses and gaming enterprises in order to mitigate the outbreak. Without swift federal assistance, we will have no choice but to furlough tribal employees and make cuts to essential services our people depend upon.

“If the Treasury Department will not honor its promise of relief to native peoples during their time of need, we trust a federal court will make this right.”

Tribal plaintiffs in the case are Ak-Chin Indian Community; Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians; Chickasaw Nation; Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma; Cherokee Nation; Northern Arapaho Tribe of the Wind River Reservation; Snoqualmie Indian Tribe; and Yurok Tribe of the Yurok Reservation.