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The court's action dashes hopes of American Samoans who were seeking birthright citizenship. It also leaves intact a Tenth Circuit decision that has been seen as "breathing new life" into constitutional distinctions between U.S. states and territories.
Supreme Court Rejects Appeal to Give American Samoans Citizenship
American Samoa is the only unincorporated territory of the United States where the inhabitants are not American citizens at birth.
The Justice Department and American Samoan government urged the court not to take up the case.
Supreme Court declines to take up effort to secure birthright citizenship for American Samoans