The US Supreme Court has declined to hear a final appeal in the Fitisemanu citizenship case, letting stand a lower court ruling that Congress, not the courts, should make citizenship decisions about those born in the territories. KHJ Washington correspondent Matt Kaye reports…
In a final victory for American Samoa and Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata defending local self-determination and Fa’a Samoa, the Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal from the 10th Circuit in Fitisemanu.
The High Court refusal to grant, in court parlance, “certiorari,” means the Denver appellate court ruling against John Fitisemanu and his claims to birthright citizenship stand.
That leaves it up to Congress to decide the issue’s future.
Congresswoman Amata said ahead of the Supreme Court decision—
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The High Court’s refusal to hear Fitisemanu comes despite criticism by conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch and liberal Sonia Sotomayor of the Insular Cases, viewed as racist by many, that those in some territories aren’t entitled to birthright citizenship.
At least four of the nine Justices must vote to hear a case.
The White House urged the Supreme Court not to take up the case, siding with American Samoa and against imposing citizenship on US nationals, consistent with prior administrations.
President and founder of Equally American, Neil Weare called it “shocking” that the White House continued to “breathe life into the Insular Cases.”
The Fitisemanu plaintiffs agreed with self-determination but argued “citizenship presents no threat” to that.
The group’s petition argued, those born in American Samoa are labeled “second-class by the US government…citizens of nowhere,” despite many serving in the US military.
