Puerto Rico Marks 10 Years of "Colonial" PROMESA Control as GOP Targets Birthright Citizenship

Proposed End to Birthright Citizenship [00:00]

• Congressman Morgan Griffith introduced the "End Birthright Citizenship for the Territories Act."
• The bill seeks to limit automatic citizenship in Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories to children born to U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents, effective 2027.
• Griffith stated the focus is on curbing "birth tourism."

  "just like Congress possesses the power to grant the territories constitutional rights and statute, we have the power to take them away in statute."

Legal Basis and Concerns [00:44]

• The bill's legal reasoning is based on the early 20th-century Insular Cases.
• These cases ruled the Constitution does not fully apply to territories and described some inhabitants as "unfit."
• The legislation would affect Guam, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands; American Samoa residents are already not classified as citizens.

  "the Supreme Court ruled the Constitution doesn't fully apply to the territory saying the quote unquote uncivilized races who quote unquote infest the territories are quote unquote unfit."

Potential Impact and Ambiguity [03:52]

• The bill, if passed, would mean children born in Puerto Rico to non-U.S. citizens and non-residents would not be considered U.S. citizens after January 1, 2027.
• Currently, anyone born in Puerto Rico is considered a U.S. citizen, a status established by statutes from 1917 to 1941.
• There is ambiguity in the bill's wording, potentially creating future problems, though it aims to clarify it applies only to children of non-citizens and non-residents.

  "if the bill is passed the effect would be to create a a very special underclass of people living in Puerto Rico who will lose uh many of its rights, many of the rights that they may enjoy right now."

PROMESA and Fiscal Control Board [08:27]

• The discussion also touches on the 10th anniversary of PROMESA, the law that created a fiscal control board for Puerto Rico.
• The board was intended to oversee finances and restructure debt but has extended its influence over the island's affairs.
• Critics view the board as a colonial entity that has had detrimental effects, particularly on vulnerable populations.

  "it is viewed by many people in Puerto Rico, with reason, as a colonial entity that was imposed by the US Congress upon Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans."

Economic Impact of PROMESA [10:25]

• The board's focus on fiscal matters has been criticized by most economists in Puerto Rico as a mistake.
• Critics argue the board has done little to address crucial aspects like economic development, corruption, waste, and incompetence.
• While debt restructuring might be seen as a positive, the overall economic development of Puerto Rico has been disregarded.

  "And the board has done almost nothing regarding those very crucial aspects of the Puerto Rican economy."