Are Puerto Ricans U.S. citizens? Voting rights and passports for residents from territories
The US holds five major, permanently inhabited territories, including Puerto Rico. Residents have the same legal rights as those born in the states.
The Trump administration’s controversial crackdown on illegal immigrants through ICE raids, arrests, and deportations, has raised questions about the rights, citizenship, responsibilities, and identity of people who were born in United States territories.
The United States presently holds jurisdiction over more than 14 territories and commonwealths - five of them are permanently inhabited: American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Those who live in the inhabited territories are classed as U.S. citizens and pay some federal taxes. They hold United States passports and can travel freely within the U.S. They are also eligible to serve in the U.S. military.
However, these residents do not have equal status to those of U.S. citizens in the 50 states.
For example, they do not have the same eligibility for the Supplemental Security Program and other federal benefits that Americans living in the 50 states do.
Can people from Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and other US territories vote in presidential elections?
Aside from being ineligible for some federal benefits, those who live in these areas also do not have the same say in how the government is run.
Residents in the territories and commonwealths cannot vote in U.S. presidential elections. They do hold presidential primaries based on party rules, but since they are not represented in the Electoral College, their votes for federal offices are seen as merely symbolic.
The look on Tomi Lahren's face when she found out Puerto Rico is part of America. 😭pic.twitter.com/GX5kssF7R9
— Alex Cole (@acnewsitics) October 3, 2025
The territories each elect a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, but these officials do not have voting powers. The territories are not represented in the Senate either.
However, if citizens in these territories have official residency in a U.S. state or the District of Columbia, they can travel to their state of domicile or vote by absentee ballot.
Tomi Lahren: Do you think Bad Bunny is a good choice for the Super Bowl?
— Blue Georgia (@BlueATLGeorgia) October 3, 2025
Krystal Ball: I don't know why it's a big deal. Seems like a great American artist.
Lahren: He's not an American artist.
Ball: He's Puerto Rican. That's part of America, dear.
Maria Cardona: She needs… pic.twitter.com/2a64Hv8bhI
The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act permits former residents of the 50 states who are now living in a U.S. territory or commonwealth, to cast absentee ballots in presidential elections.
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