Citizens; former Spanish subjects and children; body politic; name
About This Law
/us/usc/t48/s733
Title
48 — Territories and Insular Possessions
Chapter
CH4
Release
119-84
Release Date
2026-04-17
Section Text
Highlight any text to annotate
All inhabitants continuing to reside in Puerto Rico who were Spanish subjects on the 11th day of April 1899, and then resided in Puerto Rico, and their children born subsequent thereto, shall be deemed and held to be citizens of Puerto Rico, and as such entitled to the protection of the United States, except such as shall have elected to preserve their allegiance to the Crown of Spain on or before the 11th day of April 1900, in accordance with the provisions of the treaty of peace between the United States and Spain entered into on the 11th day of April 1899; and they, together with such citizens of the United States as may reside in Puerto Rico, shall constitute a body politic under the name of the People of Puerto Rico, with governmental powers as hereinafter conferred, and with power to sue and be sued as such.
(Apr. 12, 1900, ch. 191, § 7, 31 Stat. 79; May 17, 1932, ch. 190, 47 Stat. 158.)
Editorial Notes
Codification
Section was not enacted as part of the Puerto Rican Federal Relations Act which comprises this chapter.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Change of Name
“Puerto Rico” substituted in text for “Porto Rico” pursuant to act May 17, 1932, which is classified to section 731a of this title.
Take Action
Your position
Add a comment
to comment on this section.
Annotate the text
Highlight any passage on the Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.