The state of New York is taking a cautious approach in dealing with the U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision in the Oneida Nation case.

In an 8-1 ruling, the court said the tribe cannot "unilaterally" assert sovereignty over its ancestral lands without going through the land-into-trust process. The tribe has purchased 18,000 acres of land that was stolen by the state of New York.

Local officials have interpreted the decision broadly in their favor. They have hit the Oneida Nation with tax bills and are trying to apply it to the Cayuga Nation, who has also purchased ancestral lands.

But the office of New York attorney general Eliot Spitzer will seek input from the Interior Department and the National Indian Gaming Commission before taking any action, The Syracuse Post-Standard reported. However, deputy attorney general Richard Rifkin has told local officials that the state "will be arguing forcefully for the state's expanded authority."

"It is clear that the decision has enhanced the authority of the state over tribal activities taking place on land that the tribes claim as Indian country," Rifkin wrote in a letter cited by the paper.

Get the Story:
Decision on video gaming awaited (The Syracuse Post-Standard 6/8)
State's authority questioned (The Syracuse Post-Standard 6/8)

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

Related Stories:
BIA says Oneida Nation lands are in restricted status (6/3)
Oneida Nation to detail spending in tax fight (5/25)
Supreme Court won't rehear Oneida Nation case (5/24)
Oneida Nation open to land claim talks with Pataki (5/18)
Pataki presses Oneida Nation to settle land claim (5/16)
Column: Tribes just can't come and take 'our' land (5/11)
Pataki: No tribal trust lands without state approval (4/28)
New York Senate votes against trust land for tribes (4/20)
Pataki, county blast Oneida Nation's trust land bid (4/14)
Oneida Nation seeks trust land in wake of ruling (4/14)
Fallout from Supreme Court ruling on Oneida Nation (4/6)
BIA official calls high court ruling 'quite depressing' (03/31)
Major defeat for Oneida Nation in Supreme Court case (3/30)
Pataki, city, foes pleased with Oneida Nation ruling (3/30)
Oneida Nation ruling could impact land claims (01/13)
Passage of time at issue in Oneida Nation case (01/12)
Oneida Nation wants court to uphold promises (1/12)
Supreme Court rejects two Indian law cases (1/12)
Supreme Court to hear Oneida Nation land dispute (1/10)
New York municipalities pony up for court brief (12/14)
Hearing set for Oneida Nation treaty rights case (11/12)
Supreme Court takes action on Indian law cases (11/02)
Tribes file briefs in Oneida Nation land case (10/18)
Supreme Court Roundup: 2003-2004 Term (07/08)
Supreme Court to hear dispute over Oneida Nation land (06/29)
Oneida Nation sees support in Bush administration brief (06/08)
Appeal planned in Cayuga Nation land rights case (04/30)
Cayuga Nation land rights upheld by federal judge (4/26)
Cayuga Nation's plans for land worry some in village (04/07)
Report: Seneca-Cayuga Tribe has bigger plans in store (04/06)
NIGC accused of 'ducking' casino land issue in N.Y. (03/23)
Judge in N.Y. hears Seneca-Cayuga land dispute (03/12)
Supreme Court asks for DOJ brief in Oneida case (02/24)
Bill would terminate out-of-state sovereign rights (09/26)
Appeals expected in Seneca-Cayuga Tribe's land case (09/10)
Judge to decide fate of Seneca-Cayuga Tribe's land (9/9)
Cayuga tribes slowly reclaiming ancestral territory (09/02)
Okla. tribe says court decision bolsters case (07/24)
Cayuga Nation welcomes Indian Country decision (07/23)
Oneida Nation wins treaty lands case (7/22)