# End Birthright Citizenship for Territories Act **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [July 30, 2026, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-birthright-citizenship-for-territories-act/1032012 "2026-07-30T00:30:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![CoolHandCox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coolhandcox/32/16233_2.png) [@CoolHandCox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoolHandCox)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2026, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-birthright-citizenship-for-territories-act/1032012/21 "2026-07-31T01:20:26Z")
Sure. In everyday language I agree. But is Puerto Rico “in the United States” as it pertains to that term of art in the 14th? It’s not known, but more inferences point to No than Yes. Thats why there is a statute explicitly guaranteeing birthright citizenship for babies born in Puerto Rico. At the end of the day, only the Supreme Courts opinion would make it so and they have not explicitly decided that issue (they have in other cases and PR was not considered in the United States). ---
**Author:** ![CoolHandCox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coolhandcox/32/16233_2.png) [@CoolHandCox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoolHandCox)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2026, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-birthright-citizenship-for-territories-act/1032012/22 "2026-07-31T01:21:06Z")
Per statute. Not the 14th. There are several legal ways to be born an American. The 14th is one way. It does not cover birth on American bases as they are not located in the United States. Statutes confer birth citizenship in those cases. McCain was conferred American citizenship by statute, not constitutionally like I was. It makes zero difference, obviously, except in how you might try to undo it. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2026, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-birthright-citizenship-for-territories-act/1032012/23 "2026-07-31T01:26:55Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > The only remaining incorporated territory is [Palmyra Atoll](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palmyra_Atoll). No birth tourism there. What about the No Bikini Atoll? (Beany and Cecil reference, for you young whippersnappers). It never ceases to amaze me how Republicans will try to use racism as a wedge issue. Some of the people in the territories are brown and some speak a different language, so it’s obvious that they can’t be citizens like good old white American-speakers like us. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2026, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-birthright-citizenship-for-territories-act/1032012/24 "2026-07-31T15:33:20Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Well, if it was his _actual head._… Better yet, a Rushmore-size papier-mâché head carefully sculpted and painted to look like granite. During the project there are gigantic gold-colored tarps hiding it from view – nobody wants to see a half-done Trump face. His nibs is invited to grand unveiling and with a flourish pushes the big red button. The tarps drop, revealing his visage with the “I’m a tough guy” scowl he had in his mug shot. All the invited ass-kissers break out into thunderous applause. Thirty seconds later with a series of crackles pyrotechnics at the base of his T-rex vagina neck\* detonate. Flames appear and slowly consume the whole construct from bottom to top until only ash and smoldering ruin are left. It will be symbolic of his contribution to the American body politic. \*Thank you, Jon Stewart. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2026, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-birthright-citizenship-for-territories-act/1032012/25 "2026-07-31T15:54:31Z")
> [@OldGuy](#): > > limit citizenship to those born before January 1, 2027 unless at least one parent is a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident. I’m glad that’s part of it, as I was born in the territory of Alaska. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2026, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-birthright-citizenship-for-territories-act/1032012/26 "2026-07-31T16:15:48Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > It never ceases to amaze me how Republicans will try to use racism as a wedge issue. Some of the people in the territories are brown and some speak a different language, so it’s obvious that they can’t be citizens like good old white American-speakers like us. You can use the same argument to say that Texas residents shouldn’t be given birthright citizenship. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2026, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-birthright-citizenship-for-territories-act/1032012/27 "2026-07-31T16:46:32Z")
You know that’s coming. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2026, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-birthright-citizenship-for-territories-act/1032012/28 "2026-07-31T18:28:27Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > You can use the same argument to say that Texas residents shouldn’t be given birthright citizenship. Well, lets not get carried away, no Texas voters would make the US a slightly nicer place. 🤪 ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2026, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-birthright-citizenship-for-territories-act/1032012/29 "2026-07-31T18:45:55Z")
Yes, but the Texas proposal we’ll really see is “All brown people in Texas are to be de-citizened; the White folks, at least the Christian ones, are just fine.” And that won’t be just fine. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2026, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/end-birthright-citizenship-for-territories-act/1032012/30 "2026-08-01T20:15:35Z")
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