The American Samoa Statutory Nationality and Citizenship Act would change how people born in American Samoa obtain U.S. citizenship status. Currently, individuals born in American Samoa are automatically granted U.S. national status but not citizenship; this bill would allow them to voluntarily apply for U.S. citizenship if they reside in a U.S. state or certain territories. The legislation amends federal immigration law to enable American Samoans to request citizenship through an elective process when applying for a U.S. passport, rather than being required to go through naturalization proceedings. The bill protects what it calls "collective self-determination" by preserving the option for American Samoans to remain nationals without citizenship if they choose, while giving individuals the right to elect citizenship status. No specific funding or implementation timeline is specified in the legislation.
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