American Samoans lose birthright U.S. citizenship bid
Source: McClatchy DC
WASHINGTON — Individuals born in the U.S. territory of American Samoa are not automatically U.S. citizens at birth, a key court ruled Friday.
In a unanimous 23-page decision, judges with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit voiced sympathy for the individuals who seek birthright citizenship for the noblest of reasons. Nonetheless, judges said, their hands were tied.
“We hold it impractical and anomalous to impose citizenship by judicial fiat, where doing so requires us to override the democratic prerogatives of the American Samoan people themselves,” Judge Janice Rogers Brown wrote for the three-judge epanel.
The South Pacific islands of American Samoa have been a United States territory since 1900. Brown noted that it is “partially self-governed, possessing a popularly elected bicameral legislature and similarly elected governor.” The Secretary of the Interior is the ultimate overseer.
Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2015/06/05/269012/american-samoans-lose-birthright.html
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This was formerly the case in only four other current or former U.S. overseas possessions.
Guam (1898–1950) (Citizenship granted by an Act of Congress through the Guam Organic Act of 1950).
the Philippines (1898–1935) (Granted independence in 1946; National status rescinded in 1935; Citizenship never accorded)
Puerto Rico (1898–1917) (Citizenship granted by an Act of Congress through the Jones–Shafroth Act of 1917).
the U.S. Virgin Islands (1917–1927) (Citizenship granted by an Act of Congress in 1927).
The U.S. passport issued to non-citizen nationals contains the endorsement code 9 which states: "THE BEARER IS A UNITED STATES NATIONAL AND NOT A UNITED STATES CITIZEN." on the annotations page.
Non-citizen U.S. nationals may reside and work in the United States without restrictions, and may apply for citizenship under the same rules as resident aliens. Like resident aliens, they are not presently allowed by any U.S. state to vote in federal or state elections, although, as with resident aliens, there is no constitutional prohibition against their doing so.
Looks like the American Samoans need an act of Congress. Good luck with that!
It just hit me how ironic it is that "The Secretary of the INTERIOR is the ultimate overseer" when the point of this decision is to keep the American Samoan population on the EXTERIOR of the United States 
