Charles Alailima: “We Remain a 116 colony of US…”

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With the highest Court in the land ruling that American Samoans cannot become US citizens by birth, where to now for the plaintiffs in the Tuaua vs US Government case?

Local Attorney Charles Alailima who has been involved in the plaintiffs’ case from the start had this to say about yesterday’s decision.

“I am disappointed the Supreme Court did not think this issue of citizenship by birth in American Samoa under the 14th Amendment to be worthy of review at this point in time to, at the very least, give us a modern perspective on why American Samoan born people should stay in this non-citizen status.

“This leaves us with the century old insulting and racist caselaw that justified such second class status because Samoans were considered part of a group of “alien and savage races” that would not understand the meaning of American law.”

Alailima contiued, “It is also important to note that the Supreme Court over the past two weeks issued two decisions involving Puerto Rico which clearly stated that none of the territorial governments ever had real sovereignty despite local constitutions and legislatures.

“All territorial governments are subject ultimately to the authority of Congress. This means that despite all our American Samoa claims of self-government and customary rights in lands and in the oceans, we really do not control our government or our destiny either as full citizens of the United States or as Samoans.

“We remain a 116 year old colony of the United States filled with non-citizens and controlled by a Congress where our delegate has no vote.”

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