American Samoans gain right to elect U.S. citizenship directly
H.R. 6158 — American Samoa Statutory Nationality and Citizenship Act · Filed by Aumua Amata Radewagen (R-AS) · Introduced Nov 19, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill allows people born in American Samoa who hold U.S. national status (but not citizenship) to apply for U.S. citizenship if they reside in a U.S. state or territory. Currently, American Samoans born there are U.S. nationals by statute but must go through a separate naturalization process to become citizens. The bill creates an elective pathway: nationals can request citizenship directly when applying for a passport, without additional steps.
Why we flagged it
The bill removes a statutory barrier to citizenship for a specific population (American Samoans) by amending the passport-application procedure and repealing a restrictive section. It is fundamentally about restoring individual choice and equal access to citizenship, not about creating new benefits or carve-outs.
What the text implies
- The bill does not automatically grant citizenship to American Samoans; it creates an opt-in mechanism. Nationals must affirmatively request citizenship in writing when applying for a passport, preserving the choice to remain nationals only.
- Repeal of §325 removes a prior statutory restriction; the bill's effect depends entirely on what §325 said. If §325 explicitly prohibited the pathway the bill now permits, the repeal is restorative. If §325 said something else, the civic effect may differ from this analysis.
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who it affects
American Samoans born in the territory gain a concrete right they previously lacked: the ability to elect U.S. citizenship directly without additional bureaucratic steps.