Facts on Citizenship
The United States government through its courts has held time and again that Indian tribes have the right to determine their own citizenship. Today Cherokee Nation’s citizenry is bound together by having in common at least one documented Indian ancestor, regardless of what other heritage they may have. Cherokee Nation citizenship is based upon family ties, not color.
http://www.cherokeenationfacts.org/
The Cherokee Nation is the second largest Indian tribe in the United States, the largest in Oklahoma. As a federally recognized Indian tribe, the Cherokee Nation has the sovereign right to self-determination: to determine citizenship, and to exercise control and development over tribal assets. These rights are guaranteed in existing Cherokee, federal and international law. The Cherokee Nation employs more than 6,500 and is a leader in education, health care, vocational training, business and economic development.
http://www.meetthecherokee.org/