U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood to visit Shabbona on Monday

SHABBONA – U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Naperville, will be in Shabbona Monday to discuss federal action that has affected the relationship between Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation and DeKalb County residents, according to an event listing from Flewellin Memorial Library.

Underwood will be at Flewellin Memorial Library, 108 W. Comanche Ave., Shabbona, at noon for a community conversation regarding the first federally recognized tribal land in Illinois, according to a Flewellin Memorial Library social media post.

Portions of the Shab-eh-nay Reservation, near Shabbona State Park, were placed into a trust for the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation in April.

The residents most affected by the U.S. Department of Interior’s decision are those who live in Shabbona, where Shab-eh-nay Reservation lies.

As many as 20 Shabbona residents attended a May DeKalb County Board meeting, many of whom spoke against the Department of Interior’s decision.

During that meeting, the County Board voted to congratulate the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation after the federal government put 130 acres of land into a trust for the Nation.

It was largely a ceremonial vote that bears no policymaking power. The vote faced mostly Republican opposition and pushback from some vocal Shabbona residents who expressed concerns that the now federally recognized tribal land could affect their home values or bring unwanted development to the area.

Some members of the public said they were concerned that May’s resolution could influence congressional lawmaking decisions. Potawatomi Nation officials for years have lobbied for the federal government to reclaim the Nation’s land in southern DeKalb County.

Nation officials previously have said the reclamation efforts will not affect Shabbona homeowners or local access to Shabbona Lake State Park.

Underwood and U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, as well as others, have sponsored House Resolution 3144, which would allow the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation to acquire 1,280 acres of land near Shabbona State Park in compensation for what the Potawatomi Nation has long held was an illegal acquisition of the land by the U.S. government 173 years ago.

Shabbona homeowners were encouraged to attend the meeting with Underwood on Monday, according to the village library’s social media post.