PIL.OT / DEVELOPMENT
PIL.OTv0.62.2
Craig R. Shagin and Delaram Rezaeikhonakdar’s article in eYLS addresses the legal distinction between U.S. citizens and noncitizen nationals through the example of American Samoa. It discusses the political disabilities that follow from recognising American Samoans as nationals but not citizens, including limits on voting, holding office and jury service, and argues that there is no substantive difference between the two status categories and that extending citizenship would not undermine the territory’s autonomy.
eYLS (Yale Law School) · 2026