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By Rolynda Jonathan
A landmark decision was just handed down in the D.C. federal court in Tuaua v. United States, : if you are born in a U.S. territory you are not recognized automatically as a U.S. citizen.
The Court found that the Constitution does not guarantee people born in the U.S. territories the right to U.S. citizenship by birth.
So, if you are born in American Samoa, for example, you will be labeled a ‚”non-citizen national.”
The Court justified its denial of automatic citizenship because of how ‚”foreign‚” you may be to American habits, traditions, and ways of life.
Congress has extended automatic U.S. citizenship to some territories, such as Guam, by federal law.
But, the question still remains as to whether U.S. citizenship, in places like Guam and American Samoa, is a birthright fundamentally protected by the Constitution.
The US Supreme Court will have chance to answer that question as the case is being appealed.