[SoCal Pubbie]

My question is really a rhetorical one. I think the whole basis of the "sovereign nation" thing doesn't make sense.

[Bonaparte]

I think the technical term is "dependent nation." They have limited sovereignty. For example, they may not sell Indian land, not without federal approval. OTOH, they have many of the usual rights of citizenship, such as voting. I think that was decided in a series of USSC decisions.