▁considered ▁the ▁legal ▁successor ▁to ▁the ▁historic ▁tribe . ▁M embers ▁of ▁North ▁Carolina ▁bands ▁claim ▁descent ▁and ▁continu ity ▁with ▁the ▁ancient ▁Sk ar ure . ▁Some ▁North ▁Carolina ▁T us car ora ▁feel ▁that ▁the ▁T us car ora ▁that ▁left ▁North ▁Carolina ▁abandoned ▁the ▁home ▁lands , ▁and ▁that ▁both ▁groups ▁should ▁be ▁allowed ▁to ▁have ▁a ▁relationship ▁with ▁the ▁federal ▁government . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s , ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Inter ior ▁conducted ▁physical ▁exam in ations ▁of ▁ 2 0 9 ▁individuals ▁res iding ▁in ▁Rob es on ▁County ▁and ▁determined ▁that ▁ 2 2 ▁possessed ▁at ▁least ▁ 1 / 2 ▁or ▁more ▁degree ▁of ▁Indian ▁blood , ▁and ▁that ▁ 1 8 ▁more ▁were ▁border line ▁or ▁near - border line ▁cases . ▁Sch ol ars ▁and ▁scient ists ▁no ▁longer ▁consider ▁such ▁physical ▁ex ams ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁valid ▁method ▁of ▁determ ining ▁bi ological ▁ancest ry . ▁Each ▁feder ally ▁recognized ▁tribe ▁has ▁the ▁authority ▁to ▁determine ▁membership ▁criteria ▁and ▁establish ▁its ▁own ▁rules . ▁These ▁are ▁generally ▁based ▁on ▁documented ▁descent ▁from ▁a ▁historical ▁list ▁of ▁agreed - up on ▁members ▁or ▁descent ▁from ▁known ▁living ▁members . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s , ▁the ▁surv iving ▁eight ▁of ▁these ▁ 2 2 ▁people , ▁with ▁many ▁of ▁their ▁descend ants ▁and ▁approximately ▁ 2 , 0 0 0 ▁other ▁individuals ▁in ▁their ▁communities ▁organized ▁an ▁official ▁T us car ora ▁political ▁infrastr ucture