Pueblo of Isleta (Southern Tiwa: Shiewhibak) is a federally recognized tribe and an unincorporated community in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States. The Tanoan pueblo was originally established in the c. 14th century.
Pueblo of Isleta is located in the Middle Rio Grande Valley, 13 miles (21 km) south of Albuquerque. It is adjacent to and east of the main section of Laguna Pueblo. The pueblo was built on a knife-shaped lava flow running across an ancient Rio Grande channel. The Isleta Pueblo Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Southern Tiwa name of the Pueblo is Shiewhibak (Shee-eh-whíb-bak), also written [ʃiexʷibʔàg] meaning "a knife laid on the ground to play whib", a traditional footrace.
The Keres language term for the Pueblo is Western Keres: Dîiw'a'ane or [tîːwˀa̤ʔane], while the Navajo language term is Navajo: Naatoohó or [nɑ̀ːtxòːxó]).
On January 15, 2016, the tribe's officials and federal government representatives held a ceremony to mark the government's taking into federal trust some 90,151 acres of land (140 square miles) which the Pueblo had then purchased. It enlarged their communal territory by 50 percent. The tribe had worked for more than 20 years to acquire this land, once part of their ancestral homeland. It was the largest acquisition of this kind handled under the Barack Obama administration.
The Pueblo of Isleta has democratically elected its tribal leaders since the 1940s. The Isleta constitution was approved on March 27, 1947. There are thirteen articles in the constitution. The Pueblo organizes its government into three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial.
The governor is the top executive officer and is elected democratically. In mid-October, nominations are taken, and a general election is held the last Saturday in November. The newly elected governor selects two lieutenant governors, a sheriff, and an under-sheriff to assist during his/her governorship. The governor is bound by Article IV - Executive Branch of the constitution.
The administration in 2025 is:
First Lieutenant Governor: Charles Jojola
Second Lieutenant Governor: Juan Rey Abeita
Tribal Council (Legislative branch)
The Isleta Tribal Council has 7 members, each elected for two-year terms. Their duties are outlined within Article V - Legislative Branch of the constitution.
Tribal courts (Judicial branch)
The governor appoints all tribal judges, who are confirmed by the Tribal Council (offering advice and consent). According to the constitution, Article IX - Judicial Branch, tribal judges are appointed by the governor; and must receive two-thirds (2/3) majority vote by the Isleta Tribal Council to be confirmed. The tribal courts comprise three judges: chief judge and two associate judges. Some of the tribal judges are not law trained. Some members and observers believe that political appointment of tribal judges can cause distrust of the judicial system, if opponents of the governor believe the judges are too influenced by the politics.
Until the early 20th century, the tribe was headed by a cacique, a man selected by elders from a clan with hereditary rights. In addition, the tribe annually elected a governor and assistants. The governor acted as a judge in civil cases; criminal cases were turned over to the federal government. The grand council was made up of all the chiefs, leaders of the pueblo who had gained popular respect. There were distinctions between peace chiefs and those leaders appointed in war.
Father Anton Docher, a French Catholic priest serving for decades at the Pueblo church, described the community in a 1913 article in The Santa Fé Magazine:
A Cacique appointed for life, has the supreme power over his subjects. A governor is elected yearly by the people with two assistants, and occasionally a grand council meets. The governor is the judge in civil cases only (criminal cases are transferred to the district courts). A war captain and other officials have charge of the various celebrations and dances, such as the "dance of the kings" in January, the "tortoise dance" in February ...
In addition to the cattle ranch, Pueblo of Isleta owns and operates the Isleta Resort Casino which is one of the larger New Mexico casinos, the Eagle Golf Course, and the Isleta Lakes Recreational Complex. The Isleta Resort Casino is accessible via the New Mexico Rail Runner Express, a commuter rail line from Belen to Santa Fe, at Isleta Pueblo station. The casino has naming rights to the Isleta Amphitheater.