US Supreme Court rules nearly half of Oklahoma is Native American land

The US Supreme Court has ruled that nearly half of Oklahoma was Native American land, a decision that some officials warned could throw the state into chaos.

The decision means that for the first time much of eastern Oklahoma is legally considered a reservation. More than 1.8 million people live in the land at issue, including roughly 400,000 in Tulsa, the state’s second-largest city.

The unique case represented the opportunity for the Supreme Court to weigh in on the limits of tribal sovereignty and revisit the country’s history of displacing native tribes from their land.

Under the ruling, tribe members who live within the boundaries would become exempt from certain state obligations such as paying state taxes, while certain Native Americans found guilty in state courts may be able to challenge their convictions on jurisdictional grounds.

The tribe also may obtain more power to regulate alcohol sales and expand casino gambling.

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