Citizenship Laws Gorsuch Called ‘Racist’ Rejected for Review (1)

The Supreme Court refused to take a case that could undo a series of early 20th century rulings that shortchange residents of Puerto Rico and four other territories of their full constitutional rights.

The birthright citizenship appeal the justices declined to hear on Monday, Fitisemanu v. United States, concerns the so-called Insular Cases, and whether the series of decisions still hold legal weight, or remains good law.

The Insular Cases, the catch-all derived from the federal agency that oversaw territories not headed for statehood, the Bureau of Insular Affairs, have been widely criticized for leaving millions with only ...