by Howard Hills
Over 5 million border violators who are not legal immigrants reside in a de facto quasi-normal and semi-permanent status in the southern border states. Most have better social services, public and private infrastructure, greater economic opportunity and more open pathways to prosperity than 3 million U.S. citizens living in the oldest political jurisdiction in the United States: Puerto Rico.
Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens
Americans born in Puerto Rico have the same U.S. citizenship as Americans born or naturalized and residing in the 50 states, but do not have the same status and rights as Americans living in the states. Unless they relocate to one of the 50 states, the rights and opportunities for Americans in Puerto Rico suffer from indefinite territorial underdevelopment syndrome.
In contrast, 32 former territories, some facing even greater development challenges than Puerto Rico, became states in the democratic admission process now being denied to Americans in Puerto Rico. The primary explanation for denial of admission to the union for Puerto Rico is that the need for full and equal citizenship in any statehood-eligible territory under our nation’s flag is not clearly recognized by Congress in the modern era.
Economic consequences
The result is that Puerto Rico has been denied the economic development opportunity that less developed territories historically were enabled to exploit and become an integrated part of the national economy. That precludes the national political process through which states benefit economically.
From 1796 when Tennessee was admitted on terms that made economic development possible, to 1959 when Congress invested heavily in the economic success of Hawaii and Alaska, including special tax incentives, Americans in 32 territories were enabled to succeed in ways denied to Puerto Rico since a local territorial constitution was adopted in 1952.
Puerto Rico and Americans with birthright U.S. citizenship in that American territory comprise an American rule of law jurisdiction under the U.S. Constitution. The sooner Congress admits Puerto Rico as a state the sooner it will contribute to the prosperity of the nation as every territory has done after admission to the union.
The solution
Stop holding Puerto Rico back. Instead, let Puerto Rico lead and succeed, economically and strategically, as en extension of the Florida success story deeper in the Caribbean region before China beats us there too.
Meanwhile in LA, non-citizens demand and participate in riots seeking status, rights and opportunity denied to American citizens in Puerto Rico.
Howard Hills served in the Executive Office of the President, National Security Council and U.S. Department of State managing legal and diplomatic affairs in support of U.S. foreign policy and national security.
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