American Samoa § 41.0201 - Purpose

§ 41.0201. Purpose

(a) The United States Congress has, when considering Organic Acts for American Samoa on several occasions, recognized the rights of the people of American Samoa to determine their political future, and in recognition of the present policy of the United States Government to develop American Samoa for American Samoans, and in furtherance of the provisions of the Constitution of American Samoa, Article I, Section 3, authorizing enactment of such legislation as may be necessary to protect the lands, customs, culture, and traditional American Samoan family organizations of persons of American Samoa ancestry, and to encourage business enterprises by American Samoans, the Legislature finds there are limited land resources, water, sewage facilities, and educational and economic opportunities in American Samoa. Therefore, with the increasing mobility of todays population, the only way to preserve the American Samoan culture and way of life and allow the people of American Samoa to determine their political and economic future is to restrict the entry of non-American Samoans into American Samoa. With this in mind, the Legislature has enacted this title and it must be so construed for the protection of the people of American Samoa, their lands, and their economic and political future. (b) This title is to be interpreted and construed so as to effect its general purpose to limit entry into American Samoa to persons of American Samoa ancestry, their spouses and their children. Case Notes: The sole, stated purpose of the Territorial immigration statute is to preserve the “limited land resources, water, sewage facilities, and educational and economic opportunities” of American Samoa. A.S.C.A. § 41.0201. American Samoa Government v. Falefatu, 17 A.S.R.2d 114 (1990).