The Federal Recognition of Tribes: Frequently Asked Questions

As of 2026, the United States encompasses 575 federally recognized Tribes, or groups of Indigenous people that have a formally acknowledged government-to-government relationship with the United States. These Tribes are beneficiaries of the federal trust responsibility, a legal obligation under which the United States, through treaties, acts of Congress, and court decisions, “has charged itself with moral obligations of the highest responsibility and trust” toward federally recognized Tribes (Seminole Nation v. United States, 316 U.S. 286, 296–97 (1942)). In addition, under federal regulation (25 C.F.R. §83.2), federally recognized Tribes are “eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians.” This CRS report addresses frequently asked questions related to federal recognition.