A federal judge is set to determine whether land purchased by the Cayuga Nation of New York is Indian Country.

The tribe bought land in its ancestral territory and has opened a bingo hall, convenience store and gas stations. The tribe has asserted sovereignty over the properties, saying they are free from state and local taxation and laws.

Local officials disagree and say the land isn't Indian Country under the U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision in the Oneida Nation case. The court said the tribe can't "unilaterally" sovereignty over ancestral lands without going through the land-into-trust process.

U.S. District Judge David N. Hurd is set to make a ruling by the end of the month.

Get the Story:
Upcoming ruling could cancel bingo (The Syracuse Post-Standard 6/5)

Oneida Nation Decision:
Syllabus | Opinion [Ginsburg] | Concurrence [Souter] | Dissent [Stevens]

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