Is Someone Born on a U.S. Military Base Eligible...?
There are a number of requirements to be eligible for the U.S. presidency. One is that you have to have been born in the U.S. One of the 2008 presidential candidates, however, was born on a military base in the Canal Zone while his father was stationed there with the Navy. Because he was born to U.S. citizens on a U.S. military base, even if he wasn't in the U.S. itself, is this person still eligible?
And what if someone who was born in Alaska or Hawaii before 1959 (I believe that's when they were admitted to the Union) wanted to run? Would this person be eligible?
2008-02-29T08:01:25Z
TRM, I know Obama was born in Hawaii after it was admitted to the Union. It wasn't him I was thinking of, but a hypothetical.
maxmom2008-02-28T12:14:44Z
Favorite Answer
Military bases are considered US soil.
Yes, someone born in Alaska and Hawaii is eligible.
"One is that you have to have been born in the U.S."
That is actually not correct. It states that you must be a "Natural Born Citizen", it says nothing about the location you were born. So as long as you are a citizen when you were born (meaning that you have never had to apply for citizenship), then you are good to go. Do you realize that mean that a Puerto Rican that was born in Puerto Rico is a legal U.S. citizen and can legally become the President? Just like another answer said, if you were born in Hawaii or Alaska before they were states...they were still U.S. territory and all the residents were U.S. citizens.
Yes, all the instances you described are appropriate places to be born in. McCain was born on a US owned base, to American parents, so it is fine. If it were illegal, someone would have noticied it by now. Alaska and Hawaii were both US territories even before they became states. Obama was born after 1959 anyway. Even if the person was born before they became territories, everyone within Hawaii and Alaska became citizens anyway.
Joaney S, do you just not like to answer actual questions?
A lot of you seem to be confused on this matter. Being born on a US military base in a foreign country does not mean you are a US citizen; military installations are not considered US territory with regards to citizenship...here is a link and quote from a state dept. document about citizenship... "c. Despite widespread popular belief, U.S. military installations abroad and U.S. diplomatic or consular facilities are not part of the United States within the meaning of the 14th Amendment. A child born on the premises of such a facility is not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and does not acquire U.S. citizenship by reason of birth." http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/86755.pdf
If your parents are US citizens, then you are a natural born US citizen regardless of what country you are born in.