Supreme Court Rules Nearly Half of Oklahoma Is Native American Reservation

Large swath of eastern Oklahoma is tribal land for purposes of federal criminal law

The Supreme Court in Washington on March 10, 2020. Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times

The U.S. Supreme Court on July 9 ruled that much of eastern Oklahoma is Native American land for certain purposes, meaning that only federal authorities can lodge charges against Native Americans who are alleged to have committed serious crimes in the area.

“Today we are asked whether the land these treaties promised remains an Indian reservation for purposes of federal criminal law,” Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote (pdf) in the 5–4 decision. “Because Congress has not said otherwise, we hold the government to its word.”