There are more than 500 federally recognized Native American tribes in the United States.

That's 500 sovereign nations.

And citizens of those tribes, those nations, can get ID cards as proof.

It's a picture ID, it has your name, your date.

A lot of times, including my tribe, it includes your blood quantum, your fraction.

That fraction that shows just how much of a certain tribe you are

and what that says and doesn't say about who you are and where you belong.

That's what we're getting into this week on Code Switch.

I'm Shrine Mari-Solmaraji, Jeans on Assignment this week.

If you're a recognized citizen of a tribe, you can get access to that nation's resources.

That could mean living on the reservation or using tribal hospitals or health clinics,

fishing or hunting on your nation's land.

But those resources vary depending on the tribe and so do tribal laws.

Federally recognized tribes can have their own courts and police departments.

They can maintain their own bridges and roads. They can levy taxes.

They can also make their own rules to determine who gets to be a citizen and who doesn't.

It's political and very, very personal.

Our teammate, Kat Chow, has this story.

I'm talking to a daughter and her mom in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

I'm Taylor Payer and I'm the daughter of Delima Payer.

And I'm Delima Payer?

Taylor and Delima are citizens of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians.

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