We will soon be the proud recipients of a tribal government that has, for the first time in our people’s history, decided to use tribal resources to directly benefit people who aren’t even citizens of the US.
Workforce housing is the cloak being used. It is (my opinion) that the casino and other tribal revenue entities are implementing a foreign workforce that primarily operates under a federal government program designed for temporary job placement. “H-2B”, is a type of visa program used to import foreign workers on a temporary non-immigrant status to fill American jobs that are “unfillable” or “undesirable” by American workers.
Funding for workforce housing is currently being introduced in tribal council. The proposed version is that workforce housing is going to benefit enrolled members by providing a cheaper alternative to our traditional methods of home ownership. What is being glossed over is that this housing is also going to be available for casino workers regardless of citizenship status. (More importantly) let’s say the casino needs 100 jobs (or more) filled and the only way they can do that is under the federal visa program. Those people need housing, correct?
For those who are still on waiting lists for housing, I am baffled beyond belief as to how there is still a waiting list while something like this is being considered. For those who are against frivolous spending, records are currently being set on the boundary and not in a good way. And for those who simply care about our tribe and way of life, is this what we have become? The bottom line of the casino’s annual report?
Josh Holloway
Snowbird Community currently living in Chattanooga, Tenn.
(original edited due to length)
