The tribe is a self-governing PL-638 tribe. The tribe is organized under Articles of Association approved in 1972. Tribal officials include a spokesperson, a vice-chairperson, a secretary, and a treasurer. The Sycuan Reservation is governed by the seven-member elected Sycuan Business Committee. The Kumeyaays are also known as Diegueños, named after the mission within their territory. Other languages are spoken by peoples from southern Oregon to southern Mexico. Their language belongs to the Yuman branch of the Hokan language family.

Residents of the Sycuan Reservation are members of the Kumeyaay Tribe.

The secretary of the interior enlarged the Sycuan Reservation by 89.15 acres in November 2001 when it placed the Bradley and Big Oak Ranch properties into deferral trust.

An Executive Order on December 27, 1875, set lands apart for this reservation. Sycuan Reservation is located in southern Californian, six miles from El Cajon and within 20 miles of San Diego, off Highway 8 east.