US EditionHere's What to Know About American Samoans in Alaska Who Are Being Prosecuted After Trying to Vote
- Eleven American Samoan residents in Whittier, Alaska face criminal charges in 2023 for attempting to vote despite not being U.S. Citizens.
- The investigation started when Tupe Smith ran unopposed for a regional school board seat in 2023 but later learned she could not hold office due to noncitizen status.
- American Samoans are U.S. Nationals but lack automatic citizenship at birth, a status upheld by Congress in the 1930s and reaffirmed by a 2021 federal court ruling.
- Smith won about 95% of the vote but prosecutors allege intentional false claims of citizenship, while her lawyers argue for birthright citizenship recognition.
- The prosecutions highlight citizenship complexities for American Samoans and have prompted legislative efforts to streamline naturalization without relocation to U.S. States.
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Associated Press News+18 Reposted by 18 other sources
Here's what to know about American Samoans in Alaska who are being prosecuted after trying to vote
They were born on U.S. soil, are entitled to U.S. passports and allowed to serve in the U.S. military, but 11 people in a small Alaska town are facing criminal charges after they tried to participate in a fundamental part of American democracy: voting.
·United States
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Leaning Left10Leaning Right3Center4Last UpdatedBias Distribution59% Left
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59% Left
L 59%
C 24%
R 18%
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