American Samoa's US Congressman Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin is opposing moves by the Constitutional Accountability Center that would make the citizenship clause of the US constitution apply to persons born in American Samoa.
If the Center prevails anyone born in American Samoa would be granted US citizenship or US national status.
Faleomavaega says the choice of becoming a US citizen belongs to the people of American Samoa, and is not something that should be decided by judicial action.
He says it concerns him the future of American Samoa may well be determined by outside forces and not by the will of the people.
Faleomavaega says the application of certain constitutional issues to American Samoa could pose a threat to local laws enacted to protect and preserve Samoan culture.
