Supreme Court limits tribal authority over crimes involving non-Natives in Castro-Huerta

The Supreme Court rules in Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta on June 29, 2022, that states have concurrent jurisdiction to prosecute crimes committed by non-Natives against Native victims in Indian country unless Congress says otherwise. The decision narrows the practical reach of McGirt v. Oklahoma. Tribal governments and dissenting justices warn that the ruling shifts power from tribes and the federal government to states without clear congressional authorization. Oklahoma officials say the decision improves public safety. Jurisdiction over Native victims and tribal lands is a long-running civil rights and sovereignty issue shaped by race, colonialism, and federal power.