Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/22pdf/21-376_7l48.pdf
Page Number: 13.0

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

5 

Opinion of the Court 

child’s  tribe;  or  (3)  other  Indian  families.”    §1915(a).  For 
foster care, a preference is given to (1) “the Indian child’s
extended family”; (2) “a foster home licensed, approved, or
specified by the Indian child’s tribe”; (3) “an Indian foster 
home licensed or approved by an authorized non-Indian li-
censing  authority”;  and  then  (4)  another  institution  “ap-
proved by an Indian tribe or operated by an Indian organi-
zation  which  has  a  program  suitable  to  meet  the  Indian
child’s  needs.”  §1915(b).    For  purposes  of  the  placement 
preferences, an “Indian” is “any person who is a member of
an Indian tribe,” and an “Indian organization” is “any group 
. . .  owned  or  controlled  by  Indians.”    §§1903(3),  (7).  To-
gether, these definitions mean that Indians from any tribe 
(not just the tribe to which the child has a tie) outrank un-
related non-Indians for both adoption and foster care.  And 
for  foster  care,  institutions  run  or  approved  by  any  tribe 
outrank  placements  with  unrelated  non-Indian  families.
Courts  must  adhere  to  the  placement  preferences  absent
“good cause” to depart from them.  §§1915(a), (b). 

The child’s tribe may pass a resolution altering the prior-
itization  order.  §1915(c).  If  it  does,  “the  agency  or  court 
effecting  the  placement  shall  follow  such  order  so  long  as 
the placement is the least restrictive setting appropriate to 
the particular needs of the child.”  Ibid.  So long as the “least 
restrictive setting” condition is met, the preferences of the
Indian child or her parent cannot trump those set by stat-
ute or tribal resolution.  But, “[w]here appropriate, the pref-
erence of the Indian child or parent shall be considered” in 
making a placement.  Ibid. 

The  State  must  record  each  placement,  including  a  de-
scription of the efforts made to comply with ICWA’s order
of preferences.  §1915(e).  Both the Secretary of the Interior 
and the child’s tribe have the right to request the record at
any time.  Ibid.  State courts must also transmit all final 
adoption decrees and specified information about adoption 
proceedings to the Secretary.  §1951(a).