Thought you knew everything about the United States? These surprising territories will blow your mind

The 3.5 million people born in U.S. territories are not granted the same rights as citizens in the states, limiting their ability to fully participate in the country’s democracy. Puerto Rico is home to the largest population among the five territories.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) argues that these five territories meet the United Nations’ definition of a non-self-governing territory (NSGT), which qualifies them as colonies. According to the ACLU, American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands lack sufficient self-government, infringing on their right to self-determination as guaranteed under international law.

There are also uninhabited territories controlled by the U.S., some of which the status is disputed with other countries.

Navassa Island which is under the control of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a National Wildlife Refuge, is also claimed by Haiti. The U.S. Airforce oversees the administration of Wake Island, claimed also by the Marshall Islands.

Are residents in these territories U.S. citizens?

These territories remain under U.S. control primarily for their strategic locations. However, their residents are subject to a restricted form of U.S. citizenship or nationality.

For instance, the 43,895 people born in American Samoa are not U.S. citizens but U.S. nationals. What’s the difference? U.S. nationals can enter and live in the United States, but their children do not receive birthright citizenship, they cannot vote in U.S. elections, and they are ineligible to hold certain government offices. This limits their ability to fully participate in the governance of the country that controls them. Around half of the population lives in poverty, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

This is not the case for all U.S. territories. Those born in Puerto Rico after January 13, 1941, are U.S. citizens. However, they still cannot vote in federal elections and, like other territories, are only represented in Congress by a non-voting delegate.

Do residents receive government benefits?

When it comes to government benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is available in the Northern Mariana Islands but not in any other U.S. territory. In 2019, the Supreme Court ruled 8-1 that the federal government is not required to extend SSI benefits to Puerto Rico. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the only descendant of Puerto Rican parents on the Court, was the sole dissenter.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh noted that Puerto Rico’s residents do not pay federal income tax, arguing that extending SSI benefits could jeopardize the island’s tax status. However, Justice Sotomayor countered that Puerto Rico’s lack of representation in Congress prevents its residents from having a say in such decisions at the federal level.

On the other hand, residents in U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam can claim SNAP benefits, formally known as food stamps. Puerto Ricans living on the island had been able to claim benefits between 1974 and 1982 but were made ineligible under President Ronald Reagan. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has argued that residents of Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa should be allowed to claim benefits, and with very high rates of poverty, these programs could provide much-needed relief.

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