US Territories’ November 21-27, 2022 news week in tweets

United States Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico receive a visit from the US Secretary of the Interior

Assistant Secretary for Insular and International Affairs Carmen G. Cantor and US Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland visited the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico to discuss the regions’ struggles with climate and coastal issues. They also met with leaders from the regions to hear their views on US history.

American Samoa remains the only US Territory where citizens aren’t granted US Birthright Citizenship

The New York Times noted in a recent article that residents of American Samoa are not automatically American citizens. Many people in the region disagree about whether or not they should be granted United States citizenship by birthright.

Earthquake strikes region in Northern Mariana Islands

On November 25, a magnitude 5.6 earthquake was recorded near the town of Agrihan on the island of Agrihan in the Northern Mariana Islands. No damage considered significant was reported.

The University of Guam makes great strides toward bringing more students from diverse backgrounds to the university

The University of Guam celebrated its strides in opening the university to a wider range of people, noting that one in three students at the university come from parents with no college degree. 

There is still a long way to go in Puerto Rico’s hurricane recovery

The Secretary of Transportation noted the existence of 26 stretches of roads in Puerto Rico that are still damaged and closed, making it difficult for many students to get to school by bus. Given the long response time to Puerto Rico’s natural disaster, this is just one of many examples of the hurdles faced by residents.