U.S. Expropriates Tribal Lands Legally: U.S. Supreme Court June 29, 1989 Decision on Yakima lndian Nation Zoning Powers annexes one-third of Yakima Territory
Rudolph Rÿser
Volume 2, Number 1 (1989) 2 (1): 62-66
Keywords Tribal Lands, U.S. Supreme Court, Indian Reservations, Tribal Government, Zoning Authority, Yakima Indian Nation, General Allotment Act, Treaty Reserved Lands, Government to Government Accord, Anti-Indian Network
Abstract
In the summer of 1989, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a pivotal ruling affecting the zoning powers of the Yakima Indian Nation, permitting state and county governments to override tribal zoning authority in areas predominantly owned by non-Indians. This decision reflects the broader historical trajectory of U.S. policies aimed at undermining tribal sovereignty and control over Indigenous territories. Through critical analysis, this article explores the legal rationale of the ruling and its far-reaching implications for tribal governance, land rights, and self-determination. It situates the case within the legacy of the General Allotment Act and treaty-reserved lands, exposing the systemic erosion of Indigenous authority. Furthermore, the article examines the growing challenges Indian nations face in asserting territorial integrity amidst competing state and federal interests, and highlights the role of intergovernmental accords and resistance to anti-Indigenous legal frameworks.
Rudolph Rÿser
Published June 1, 1989
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2025 Rudolph Rÿser (Author)
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