The Muscogee Nation and City of Tulsa have reached a landmark agreement that ends a years’ long legal battle over jurisdiction. Tulsa will no longer prosecute tribal citizens for crimes committed within the Muscogee Reservation — those cases will now go through tribal court.
While Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols and Muscogee Nation Principal Chief David Hill celebrated the partnership as a win for public safety and tribal sovereignty, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt condemned the move, calling Tulsa a “sanctuary city” for tribal citizens and vowing to fight it.
Through cross-deputization agreements, Tulsa Police can still pull over tribal citizens and address criminal activity within city limits and Muscogee Nation boundaries. Any traffic tickets or violations resulting from those stops will then be sent to the Muscogee Nation…