Originally posted by defcon5
I have seen other posters attempt to explain to you that Panama was an American Territory, the same as many foreign American Military bases, and being born there is the same as being born in the US proper:
You are wrong. Military bases abroad are extra-legal jurisdictions ruled by SOFAs (Status of Forces Agreements), and are not “American Territory” within the meaning of the 14th Amendment.
The State Department’s Foreign Affairs Manual states that,
Despite widespread popular belief, U.S. military installations abroad and U.S. diplomatic or consular facilities are not part of the United States within the meaning of the 14th Amendment. A child born on the premises of such a facility is not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and does not acquire U.S. citizenship by reason of birth.
Separate sections handle territories that the United States has acquired over time, such as Puerto Rico 8 U.S.C. § 1402, Alaska 8 U.S.C. § 1404, Hawaii 8 U.S.C. § 1405, the U.S. Virgin Islands 8 U.S.C. § 1406, and Guam 8 U.S.C. § 1407. Each of these sections confer citizenship on persons living in these territories as of a certain date, and usually confer natural-born status on persons born in those territories after that date.
Panama is not listed in the above, because it is no longer a US territory as of December 31, 1999.
Well perhaps the Panama Canal Zone is “not listed in the above” because the Canal Zone was never a “territory that the United States has acquired over time”, it was leased land from the Panamanian Government, and because the Section that rules citizenship in the Canal Zone (8 USC § 1403) doesn’t confer “natural born” status.
In 1953, Congress passed legislation to specify the status of Americans born in the Canal Zone--and to exclude non-Americans born there from citizenship.
If you had read this careful you had understood that being born in the Canal Zone, at that time didn’t grant US citizenship, otherwise there would be no reason to add a provision granting US citizenship to people born there.
Title 8 § 1403. Persons born in the Canal Zone or Republic of Panama on or after February 26, 1904.
(a) Any person born in the Canal Zone on or after February 26, 1904, and whether before or after the effective date of this chapter, whose father or mother or both at the time of the birth of such person was or is a citizen of the United States, is declared to be a citizen of the United States.
See, this was the Section I was talking about. Would you care to point out where does it state that people born in the Canal Zone are conferred “natural born” status?
Moreover, the act of declaring someone’s citizenship, falls under the category of ‘naturalization’.
If you make a comparison with 8 USC § 1405, the section that rules citizenship in Hawaii, you would understand what this means:
8 U.S.C. 1405 A person born in Hawaii on or after August 12, 1898, and before April 30, 1900, is declared to be a citizen of the United States as of April 30, 1900. A person born in Hawaii on or after April 30, 1900, is a citizen of the United States at birth. A person who was a citizen of the Republic of Hawaii on August 12, 1898, is declared to be a citizen of the United States as of April 30, 1900.
Why are the dates and the language important? Well, in August 12 1898 was when Hawaii became an annex of the United States, and April 30 1900 was when Hawaii became a territory.
So, to people born on or after April 12 1898 (when it became an annex) are declared US citizens, or in other words, they were naturalized US citizens. People born on or after April 30 1900, when it became a territory - or in other words, part of the United States - are US citizens at birth, just like in any other part of US soil.
Through simple deduction: the Section that rules citizenship in the Canal Zone declares, or naturalizes, people born there as US citizens (provided that at leas one parent is a US citizen).
Therefore, unless Kenya suddenly became a US Territory, and both of Obamas parents were US Citizens living on a US Military base while in service to this country; how can you even begin to compare the two situations as being the same?
I can’t compare the two situations, because if Obama was born in Hawaii, he is a “natural born” citizen (US citizen by reason of birth, in US soil), and John McCain is a naturalized US citizen.
So, is that enough to end this incorrect information your constantly going from thread to thread with?
I don’t know, but I hope so.


