Attacks on Tribal Sovereignty: An Analysis of Recent Decisions of the United States Supreme Court

Recent Supreme Court decisions are concerning Tribal Nations and those who work in Indian Law. Most notably, Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta 1 has major implications on the legal relationship between Tribes, states, and the federal government. The potential negative impact from these decisions can change Tribal sovereignty as it is commonly understood. One solution is to increase efforts to provide more education and data on Indian Country to ensure that there are accurate representations of Tribal communities and Tribal sovereignty. This article will provide a historical background of Tribal sovereignty through the lens of the United States legal system and follow with an overview and analysis of the recent pivotal Supreme Court decisions and their use of data.