By Howard Hills, author of Citizens Without a State.
The 2020 pandemic has largely suspended immigration to the United States, but immigration will be back on our lawmakers’ minds soon.
As we seek to enact a national policy that defines the legal status and rights of millions of non-citizens currently living within our borders, let’s remember there also are 3.2 million U.S. citizens in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico who do not yet have a constitutionally defined status or full and equal rights of citizenship.
For more than a century the people of Puerto Rico, whose residents serve in the U.S. military at a per capita rate higher than most states, have been denied equal rights under the U.S. Constitution. After more than a century since U.S. citizenship was granted by Congress, securing equal rights for our fellow citizens in the last large and densely populated U.S. territory is finally becoming a national policy priority.
In 2014, President Obama and Congress enacted a federal law authorizing and funding a referendum on statehood for Puerto Rico. This is an historic step toward full democracy and equal rights for millions of Latino Americans in Puerto Rico who already are U.S. citizens.
This comes after U.S. citizens in Puerto Rico voted in local referenda held in 2012 and 2017, and a strong majority of voters chose statehood over the current economically failing territorial status or separate nationhood. So for the majority of U.S. citizens in Puerto Rico, a federal statehood enabling law defining terms for admission as the 51st state in the union is their “dream act.”
As a leader advocating amnesty and fully equal citizenship for millions of non-citizens, Nancy Pelosi declared to the world that “We are all Americans…a community with a border running through it.” Ironically, Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens who live lawfully within our borders, part of the U.S. national community of Americans because of birth in Puerto Rico after it was integrated by Congress into the U.S. homeland to be governed under federal law for over a century.
Just like citizens in Hawaii before it became a state, the U.S. citizens of Puerto Rico are not strangers forced to live outside the civic order in the same way as non-citizens. In Puerto Rico, our fellow citizens turn out to vote in elections at a high rate unheard of in the 50 states and in many ways enjoy the blessings of life as citizens.
U.S. citizens in Puerto Rico typically will come to attention, salute the flag and pledge allegiance to it, often with tears in their eyes, whenever it is displayed at high school sporting events and town hall meetings. After all, Americans from Puerto Rico have served in every war since WWI, defending our nation and way of life.
Now that the U.S. citizens of Puerto Rico voted to end their current colonial status and become a state it is time for Congress to act. That makes equal citizenship a national priority, as it was for 32 other territories that voted for statehood and were admitted to the union.
To see the faces of your fellow citizens who will one day have equal rights through statehood, please take a moment to watch the video above.
It takes nothing away from the cause of non-citizens seeking opportunity lawfully to call on all Americans to support equal rights that the Latino people of Puerto Rico have earned as lawful U.S. citizens.
This post was originally written in English and may be being auto-translated by Google.
5 Responses
I agree totally!! The USA would reject the offer.
As we so well know, for generations, the seeds of fear have been sowed in Puero Rico. We’ve been told that we’re nothing without the U.S., that we need their guidance, help and rule. And sometimes the methods have been not so subtle.
Puerto Rico will never become independent for 3 reasons:
1) The independenistas can’t stop parroting the Castro brothers, Chavez, Maduro, Ortega and the other anti-American socialist dictators from Latin America. Until this changes independence will not be a viable option.
2) The United States is not going to give up Puerto Rico only to allow a bunch of Ruben Berrios types to immediately link up with the Chinese, the Russians, and the aforementioned Latin American socialist dictators.
3) There is no legal mechanism for the US to surrender sovereignty over a land populated by it’s own people. The Philippines, Micronesia, Palau, and the Marshall Islands were never US citizens.
Independence is the easiest outcome for the U.S. if it can just get the U.S. citizens of PR to vote for it. Statehood is harder for everybody, as it was for most of the 32 territories that became states. Independence is a viable and lawful option under U.S. and international law. It is getting there democratically that is the problem. But independence nationhood is better than the current status. If statehood hood is not going to be granted than sovereign nationhood is the next best option. The status quo is not in any respect the best, and in some ways is the worst of both worlds, so in that sense it’s not the best outcome for the U.S. or PR. That is just my personal opinion. Not the opinion of any other person or organization.
*EQUAL RIGHTS is for all “WE THE PEOPLE”; not just for SOME!*
Our US Republic means power resides with the People! In our US Constitution, “We the People”– is made up by Individuals that includes Puerto Ricans which face Federal un-democratic control!
The naked truth/facts are: since 1898—fellow, but, 2d Class US Citizens-American Veterans in the US Territory of Puerto Rico (with more US Citizens-American Veterans than 22 States)—have NO Vote for their US President; NO just Representation in US Congress; NO PARITY in Federal Funding, Laws, or Programs; NO permanent statutory US Citizenship—even if residing in a State; NO Federal “consent of the Governed”!
The Federal political oppression (going on for over 123 years) against Hispanic-Puerto Ricans–is not only about a Group VOTE on the Status, but, more essential to our US Constitution, is about FAIRNESS-EQUAL Individual Civil Rights for ALL “WE THE PEOPLE” so we can truly have a Representative Democracy…
The Federal Government (US President, US Congress, and US Supreme Court)–must STOP providing ageless Excuses that discriminate; treating Puerto Ricans as unequal US Citizens or like Animal Farm—“All Animals are Equal, but, some Animals are more equal than others!”
Closet discrimination goes against the fundamental Precepts and Soul of our US Constitution which we own (through amendments) today! Besides, Puerto Ricans have VOTED for STATEHOOD (2012, 2017, & 2020); are against Independence (which, in the past six local Plebiscites, has only received 2-5% of the Vote). But, the Federal Government has never conducted a sanctioned “YES or NO” Plebiscite on a Non-Territorial Status! This is wrong; undemocratic; strikes at the heart of American Fairness-Equality!
Loyal Puerto Ricans are integrated in our diverse US way of Life; contribute in all fields of endeavor; fight for our US Constitution; and cherish their US Citizenship! THE TIME IS NOW for the Federal Government to do Right–admit Puerto Rico to our diverse “UNION of States” (with own Identity, Constitution, Flag, and Sovereignty like other States-US Citizens have); provide US Puerto Rico—
EQUALITY + PROGRESS = STATEHOOD with DIGNITY!
*Alternative: Conduct a Plebiscite with defined non-territorial US Constitutional Options which only are: STATEHOOD vs INDEPENDENCE (without or with PACT of Free Association).
Silence to Discrimination; supports Injustice! The Federal Government is the Servant of ALL the People, not the Master of some! We must GUARD against the “Tyranny of a Majority”!
Plus, the racist Insular Cases (1901-1925-still in effect today) should be revoked; the outdated Territorial Clause (1789) needs revision (allow for just representation; limit period of a Territorial Status). Also, our US Constitution must be amended (with “US Citizen-Equality Protection” clause) that is not left to wrong interpretation by the Federal Government or Others-that ALL US Citizens have Equality under the Law.
Join a Patriotic effort! Contact our US Congress & US President—stand up for FAIRNESS-EQUAL RIGHTS for ALL “WE THE PEOPLE” (Individuals), now! UNITE with Truth, Reason, Courage, and CIVIC ACTION for the Good of ALL-Family, Community, US, and Humanity! SHARE!
**US Congress: https://contactingcongress.org/
**US President: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact
(Dennis O. Freytes-Florida Veterans Hall of Fame; Community Servant Leader)