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OPA

Office of Public Affairs

Answer

What is the legal status of American Indian and Alaska Native tribes?

Article 1, Section 8 of the United States Constitution vests Congress, and by extension the Executive and Judicial branches of our government, with the authority to engage in relations with the tribes, thereby firmly placing tribes within the constitutional fabric of our nation. When the governmental authority of tribes was first challenged in the 1830's, U. S.

About Us

Indian Affairs (IA) currently provides services (directly or through contracts, grants, or compacts) to approximately 1.9 million American Indians and Alaska Natives. There are 574 federally recognized American Indian tribes and Alaska Native Villages in the United States.

indianaffairs.gov

An official website of the U.S. Department of the Interior

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