Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/22pdf/21-376_7l48.pdf
Page Number: 87.0

Cite as:  599 U. S. ____ (2023) 

5 

THOMAS, J., dissenting 

Super.  290,  302,  640  A. 2d  926,  932  (1994).    That  makes 
sense; as the majority notes, these children are some of the
most vulnerable among us, and their interests should be a 
court’s  primary  concern.    See  ante,  at  1.  But  ICWA  dis-
places that standard with its own hierarchy of preferences, 
requiring a court to prefer any placements with (1) a mem-
ber of the child’s extended family; (2) other members of the
child’s tribe; and (3) other Indian families of any tribe, an-
ywhere in the country.  §1915(a).  Similar rules govern fos-
ter-care placements.  §1915(b).  As the majority notes, these
preferences  collectively  ensure  that  any  Indian  from  any
tribe in the country outranks all non-Indians for adopting
and fostering those whom ICWA deems to be Indian chil-
dren.  See ante, at 5. 

Again, these detailed rules govern the child custody pro-
ceedings of U. S. citizens in state courts only  because the 
child is also either a member of an Indian tribe or merely 
eligible  for  membership  in  a  tribe.    (The  child  or  parents
need never have set foot on Indian lands or have any desire
to affiliate themselves with a tribe.1)  The child and his or 
her biological parents and relatives can all support an adop-
tion, yet ICWA may stand in the way.

Normally,  we  would  say  that  the  Federal  Government 
plainly lacks the authority to enact a law like this.  The only
question is thus whether Congress has some additional au-
thority  that  allows  it  to  regulate  the  adoption  process  for
U. S.  citizens  in  state  courts  merely  because  the  child  in-
volved happens to be an Indian.  To answer that question, I 
turn first to the text and original meaning of the Constitu-
tion. 

—————— 

1 An analogous law might be if the Federal Government tried to regu-
late the child custody proceedings of U. S. citizens who are eligible for 
Russian, Mexican, Israeli, or Irish citizenship.