A US territory’s colonial history emerges in state disputes over voting and citizenship
June 7, 2025
A criminal case in Alaska involving nearly a dozen people born in American Samoa is highlighting concerns about birthright citizenship and voting by people who are not U.S. citizens, issues that have been prominent in the early months of President Donald Trump’s second term. Alaska is not the only state where confusion over voting by American Samoans has surfaced in recent years. It’s an issue that traces its roots to colonialism in the South Pacific. American Samoa is the only U.S. territory where residents are not automatically granted citizenship by virtue of having been born on American soil.
