Liberians’ Right to U.S. Citizenship & Reparations
Krua V. Mayorkas Aims To Heal & Unite Divided “United” States
The concept of inalienable rights—the fundamental rights of indigenous peoples, including Liberians, whose historical ties and contributions to America predate key documents like the Declaration of Independence (1776), the U.S. Constitution (1787), and the Massachusetts Constitution (1789)—holds that these rights are fixed, natural, and cannot be taken away. No government, colonial or postcolonial, has the right to revoke these rights. The ongoing harm inflicted by the First Nationality Act, a law passed by a government largely led by slaveholders, should not be up for debate. The racial prejudice that led to this injustice is not something African Americans chose or could control. It was a design from their Creator—something they had no role in determining.
Given the history of racial injustice embedded in the First Nationality Act, there should be no question that relief should be granted to those affected by these wrongs. This injustice requires immediate attention and redress from the United States.
All persons born in Liberia are entitled to U.S. citizenship and reparations due to America’s historical, legal, and moral obligations. Liberia was established as a refuge for African Americans forcibly removed due to racism, yet the U.S. has denied them their rightful citizenship.
Two key principles—jus soli (citizenship by birthplace) and jus sanguinis (citizenship by ancestry)—support this claim. African Americans exiled to Liberia retained their U.S. citizenship under jus soli, while their descendants qualify under jus sanguinis. The U.S. has no legal basis to revoke this citizenship based on race or place of birth.
In 1819, the First Nationality Act restricted U.S. citizenship to white persons and funded the forced relocation of African Americans to Liberia. Despite this, Liberia remained closely tied to the U.S., with the 1824 Liberian Constitution affirming the rights of U.S. citizens in Liberia. No subsequent law has revoked these privileges.
Liberia’s current visa restrictions and dual citizenship laws violate the principle of equal protection. The U.S. freely grants citizenship to Native American nations and residents of U.S. territories—Liberians deserve the same recognition.
The United States must acknowledge Liberians as U.S. citizens and provide reparations for centuries of injustice.
