The Quapaw Nation late Wednesday evening responded to the Supreme Court of the United State’s ruling in Oklahoma v. Castro Huerta. The case presented a jurisdictional question about whether the federal government has exclusive jurisdiction to prosecute certain major crimes in Indian Country or whether the federal government and the state of Oklahoma have concurrent jurisdiction to prosecute those crimes.

“Today, the United States Supreme Court rendered a decision that is an affront on tribal sovereignty and erodes centuries of well-settled federal Indian Law. By inserting itself into an area reserved specifically for Congress, SCOTUS signals that plenary power is no longer absolute when it comes to Indian affairs,” Chairman Byrd said.

We are all equal or no one is free and we are one Oklahoma by history and choice. From today’s United States Supreme Court Decision in Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta we can again agree in peace.

Oklahoma Attorney General John O’Connor said, “All Oklahomans, Indian and non-Indian alike, will now receive equal protection against being victimized by non-Indian criminals. [T]he Court’s precedents establish that Indian country is part of a State’s territory,” the Court said. “States do not need a permission slip from Congress to exercise their sovereign authority.”  Accordingly, the Court “conclude[d] that the Federal Government and the State have concurrent jurisdiction to prosecute crimes committed by non-Indians against Indians in Indian country.”

TULSA, Okla. – In a joint release today, United States Attorneys’ in regard to United States Supreme Court Decision in Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta said:

This morning the United States Supreme Court issued its decision in Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta. This decision holds that the State of Oklahoma has concurrent jurisdiction with the federal government to prosecute non-Indians who commit crimes against Indian victims within Indian Country.