Governor Kevin Stitt warned of Tribes setting up “abortion on-demand” clinics in an attempt to circumvent new Oklahoma laws banning abortion on Fox News Sunday morning while discussing abortion and the McGirt v. Oklahoma decision.

 

The governor said that Oklahomans would not look favorably on the Native Nations if they were to set up abortion clinics. He criticized Tribal-State judicial bill in veto

 

The Cherokee Nation responded Monday:

 

“Speculating on what tribes should do based on a leaked US Supreme Court draft decision is irresponsible. Just as irresponsible is the Governor of Oklahoma and his disguised media campaign which is really meant to attack tribes and our sovereignty.”

 

The legal reality of setting up an abortion clinic on Tribal lands is rather complicated as the Indian Health Services is under the Department of Health and Human Services, so their clinics cannot be used for abortion because of existing federal law barring federal funds used for abortion. If there were to be a clinic set up on Tribal lands, it would need to be financed privately.