01/17/2026
Gayogo̱hó:nǫ⁷ families continue to be in a state of high alert, not knowing which homes and families may be targeted next.
The Gayogo̱hó:nǫ⁷ (Cayuga Nation) are dealing with what the Nation's citizens have called a dictatorship—one enabled by the U.S. federal government. Since the mid-2000s, a Gayogo̱hó:nǫ⁷ citizen named Clint Halftown has refused to step down after being removed by his Clan Mother from a temporary position within Gayogo̱hó:nǫ⁷ governance.
Halftown was removed from any representative role within the Gayogo̱hó:nǫ⁷ (Cayuga) Nation in accordance with the Nation's governing processes and the Great Law of Peace, but the U.S. federal government continues to recognize him as the Nation's representative. U.S. support of Halftown is a violation of the Two Row Wampum, a treaty of non-interference between the Haudenosaunee nations ("the canoe") and settlers ("the ship") while we travel as neighbors down the same metaphorical river.
It's time for the U.S. to honor Gayogo̱hó:nǫ⁷ self-determination by heeding the Nation's decision and ending its recognition of Halftown. The Gayogo̱hó:nǫ⁷ Council of Chiefs, the governing body of the Nation, has put forth calls for help from people of the U.S. to hold our government accountable on this issue, so we're here to tell our government: Halftown Must Go.
Halftown's recent violence against Gayogo̱hó:nǫ⁷ citizens
Starting in August 2022, Halftown and Cayuga Nation Police (CNP, his non-Gayogo̱hó:nǫ⁷ police force) have escalated their violence against Gayogo̱hó:nǫ⁷ citizens who oppose him.
In this time CNP has: destroyed a ceremonial space and desecrated sacred corn and ceremonial items; destroyed homes; conducted an armed robbery and takeover of a Gayogo̱hó:nǫ⁷ family's home; physically assaulted several Gayogo̱hó:nǫ⁷ people, including tasering one person and brutalizing a disabled, diabetic matriarch; detained and pepper sprayed non-Gayogo̱hó:nǫ⁷ supporters; and kidnapped Gayogo̱hó:nǫ⁷ people and held them without bail in a prison in Cambria County, PA. One of the people held in Cambria was denied adequate medical attention, which led to a multi-day stay in the ICU and an additional hospital stay where he has needed to have multiple bones removed from his foot due to infection after being assaulted by CNP.
In recent years, the U.S. Federal Government has bolstered Halftown, legitimizing him as "Federal Representative" of the Cayuga Nation, and proclaiming the "Council" Halftown created to be the government of the Nation. These actions of the U.S. government flagrantly disregard the governance authority held by Clan Mothers and Sachems as per the Haudenosaunee Confederacy's Great Law of Peace. (The Gayogo̱hó:nǫ⁷ are a member nation of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy).
Halftown has used intimidation and violence—enacted by a non-Indigenous police force he hired in 2018—to hold control of Cayuga Nation land and businesses. Since 2020, Halftown's "Cayuga Nation Police" have escalated their violence against Gayogo̱hó:nǫ⁷ people who speak out against him. He has now twice destroyed spaces that Gayogo̱hó:nǫ⁷ citizens used to hold ceremonies, as well as to teach language and culture. Since August 2022, Cayuga Nation Police have also escalated their use of forced evictions, home demolitions, physical violence, and kidnappings of those who speak out.
How does this violence and abuse of power continue? The Gayogo̱hó:nǫ⁷ citizens are demanding a full audit of the Cayuga Nation and its operations immediately.
U.S. Senator Kirsten GillibrandGovernor Kathy HochulSenator Chuck SchumerBureau of Indian Affairs
