What is the Indian Civil Rights Act?

The Indian Civil Rights Act (ICRA) is a federal law that protects the civil rights of American Indians living in North Carolina and other states. ICRA was passed by Congress in 1968 and it guarantees rights similar to those provided by the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution. The ICRA guarantees that American Indians have the right to: freedom of speech and religion, freedom of peaceful assembly, and protection of due process of law. ICRA also prohibits discrimination based on race or ethnicity, and grants Indian tribes the right to maintain their culture and language. In addition to these basic rights, ICRA also requires the federal government to recognize the inherent sovereignty of Native American tribes. This means that the federal government must acknowledge the laws and customs of Indian tribes, even if those laws and customs differ from the laws of other states. This acknowledgment of tribal sovereignty is an important way that Native American tribes can protect their rights to self-determination. Finally, ICRA also requires that states operating within areas where Native American tribes live should not discriminate against Native Americans. This includes not denying tribes access to services, such as health care and education, that are also provided to other citizens of the same state. This law helps ensure that Native Americans living in North Carolina are not treated differently than any other citizens of the state.

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What is the Indian Civil Rights Act?

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