In a letter to other territorial governors, American Samoa's Lemanu Peleti Mauga, has asked for support in his administration's stance on self-determination, currently threatened by federal appeal.
Under law, American Samoans were US Nationals but not US Citizens.
Governor-elect, Lemanu Mauga and his Lieutenant Talauega Ale, and their spouses Ella Perefoti Gaea Failautusi and Marian McGuire Ale Photo: Facebook
Lemanu said it was American Samoa's preference to determine for themselves the question of US citizenship.
He said it was appropriate for Congress and the government and people of American Samoa to determine and not a federal court thousands of miles away.
Plaintiffs in the lawsuit, filed in March 2018 at the federal court in Salt Lake City, were three American Samoans residing in Utah, while the defendants were the US State Department, along with the Secretary of State and other senior officials.
Intervenors were the American Samoa Government and Congresswoman Uifa'atali Aumua Amata
The lower court ruled in 2019, that "Persons born in American Samoa are citizens of the United States by virtue of the Citizenship Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment."
Earlier American Samoa's government said the ruling removed significant-self government, threatened fa'a Samoa, social structures and land practices.
Because of Covid-19, oral arguments before the 10th Circuit were heard last September via video conference rather than in-person.
Lemanu believed the issue confronting US Nationals in Utah could best be resolved by a passage of US House legislation that "would expedite reclassification of national to citizen to anyone who chooses it."
He was pleased that many of the territorial members of the US House had already co-sponsored that measure, which was introduced by American Samoa's Congresswoman Uifa'atali Aumua Amata.
Lemanu urged other territorial Governors to support self-determination and said he appreciated the territories' track record of cooperation and support for each other.
Photo: 123rf