United States nationality law

Alaska's Department of Law has formally dropped voter misconduct cases against a group of residents born in American Samoa, following a state Court of Appeals ruling that threw out felony charges against Tupe Smith, a Whittier woman who mistakenly checked a "U.S. citizen" box on voter registration forms. The three-judge panel found state law requires proof defendants acted with a "consciousness of wrongdoing," citing flaws in a state trooper's interrogation of Smith and in the grand jury process behind her indictment.

Acting Attorney General Cori Mills said prosecutors could not prove the cases against Smith, her husband Michael Pese, and others beyond a reasonable doubt. In total, 11 people from Whittier, near Anchorage, had faced charges of falsely claiming citizenship when registering or voting. Smith's attorneys say the ruling establishes an important safeguard against felony liability for honest mistakes, while a member of her legal team questioned why the prosecutions were brought at all. American Samoa remains the only U.S. territory where residents are born U.S. nationals rather than citizens, a status permitting military service and passports but barring voting in most U.S. elections.

Reps. Joaquin Castro and Greg Casar held a San Antonio press conference urging six Bexar County municipalities — Hollywood Park, China Grove, St. Hedwig, Balcones Heights, Sandy Oaks, and Von Ormy — to end their 287(g) agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The agreements, entered under the Task Force model, let trained local police question people about citizenship status during patrols, access ICE databases, and arrest suspected undocumented immigrants.

Castro accused ICE of racial profiling and called the agency "rogue" and "abusive" under the Trump administration, citing conditions at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, which he has visited repeatedly and wants closed. He also suggested financial incentives, not just policy, are driving cities to sign on. Casar called on mayors to stop enrolling police in federal immigration enforcement. Texas law requires counties operating jails to participate in 287(g), a provision dating to 1996 legislation signed by President Bill Clinton, complicating efforts to unwind local participation.