The Indian Resources Section was created on May 27, 1975, by the Environment and Natural Resources Directive No. 6-75, to conduct litigation for the United States in order to protect the trust resources, programs, and governmental authority of federally recognized Indian tribes, as well as real property held in trust or restricted fee for members of such tribes. Although the Indian Resources Section was created in 1975, the suits handled by the Section have been part of the Division’s docket since its creation as the “Public Lands Division” in 1909. The United States holds approximately 60 million acres of land in trust for federally recognized tribes and their members and additional lands are held subject to federal restrictions on alienation. These lands and the resources on or relating to them generate litigation akin to that relating to federal public domain lands.

[updated April 2018]