Title: McGirt v. Oklahoma points to why Native Americans have a hard time seeking justice - The Washington Post
Headings: The Oklahoma decision reveals why Native Americans have a hard time seeking justice
The Oklahoma decision reveals why Native Americans have a hard time seeking justice
Congress won’t let tribes fully punish non-Native American criminals — but federal prosecutors often won’t pursue crimes against Native Americans.
McGirt v. Oklahoma
Why does the federal government share jurisdiction with the tribal nations?
What are the consequences of federal jurisdiction?
What can be done?

Content: For instance, Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) said, “So the idea behind [VAWA] is we’ll try them in tribal court. But … it’s going to be made up of Indians, right? So the non-Indian doesn’t get a fair trial. ” In other words, opponents argued tribal jurisdiction over non-Native Americans is unfair, while federal and state jurisdiction over Native Americans is fair. Advertisement
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Both the 2010 act and the 2013 VAWA changes suggest that if policymakers are motivated, more reform is possible, especially during a nationwide debate about correcting past injustices. The TMC newsletter has moved! Sign up here to keep receiving our smart analysis. Dominga Cruz (@DomingaFCruz) is a graduate student in political science at the University of Oklahoma and an enrolled citizen of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes. Sarah Deer (@sarahdeer) is a professor at the University of Kansas, citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma, and recipient of a 2014 MacArthur Fellowship and 2020 Carnegie Fellowship. Kathleen Tipler (@ktipler47) is an assistant professor in political science at the University of Oklahoma.