{"id":24017,"date":"2025-12-18T20:49:38","date_gmt":"2025-12-19T01:49:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.law.georgetown.edu\/georgetown-law-journal\/?page_id=24017"},"modified":"2025-12-18T21:08:18","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T02:08:18","slug":"the-people-protects-the-people-of-puerto-rico-giving-meaning-to-an-uninterpreted-part-of-the-tenth-amendment","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.law.georgetown.edu\/georgetown-law-journal\/in-print\/volume-113\/volume-113-issue-6-june-2025\/the-people-protects-the-people-of-puerto-rico-giving-meaning-to-an-uninterpreted-part-of-the-tenth-amendment\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cThe People\u201d Protects the People of Puerto Rico: Giving Meaning to an Uninterpreted Part of the Tenth Amendment"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>The island of Puerto Rico is unique\u2014not just culturally, but politically and constitutionally. In the words of the U.S. Supreme Court, Puerto Rico \u201coccupies a relationship to the United States that has no parallel in our history.\u201d<\/em>\n\t\t<span class='js-footnote footnote'>\n\t\t\t<button type='button' aria-controls='abstract_footnote_24017_1' class='footnote_inline_btn js-footnote-toggle-btn' aria-describedby='footnote_btn_text_abstract_footnote_24017_1'>\n\t\t\t\t<sup class='footnote_inline_btn_number'>1<\/sup>\n\t\t\t\t<span id='footnote_btn_text_abstract_footnote_24017_1' class='visually_hide'>Open footnote #1<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\n\t\t\t<cite id='abstract_footnote_24017_1' class='footnote_content_cite js-footnote-content'>\n\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content_wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<button type='button' class='footnote_content_number js-footnote-toggle-btn' aria-controls='abstract_footnote_24017_1' tabindex='-1'>1<\/button>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content_wrap_inner'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='visually_hide'>Footnote #1 content: <\/span>Examining Bd. of Eng\u2019rs, Architects &amp; Surveyors v. Flores de Otero, 426 U.S. 572, 596 (1976).\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_close_btn_wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button type='button' class='footnote_close_btn js-footnote-close-btn' aria-label='Back to content'>close<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/cite>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t <em>Though this unparalleled relationship comes with benefits, it also comes with a cost: for more than a century, Puerto Rico has had a quasi-domestic, quasi-foreign relationship with the United States. Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, and Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens.<\/em>\n\t\t<span class='js-footnote footnote'>\n\t\t\t<button type='button' aria-controls='abstract_footnote_24017_2' class='footnote_inline_btn js-footnote-toggle-btn' aria-describedby='footnote_btn_text_abstract_footnote_24017_2'>\n\t\t\t\t<sup class='footnote_inline_btn_number'>2<\/sup>\n\t\t\t\t<span id='footnote_btn_text_abstract_footnote_24017_2' class='visually_hide'>Open footnote #2<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\n\t\t\t<cite id='abstract_footnote_24017_2' class='footnote_content_cite js-footnote-content'>\n\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content_wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<button type='button' class='footnote_content_number js-footnote-toggle-btn' aria-controls='abstract_footnote_24017_2' tabindex='-1'>2<\/button>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content_wrap_inner'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='visually_hide'>Footnote #2 content: <\/span><em>See<\/em> Raquel Reichard, <em>Why Isn\u2019t Puerto Rico a State?<\/em>, HISTORY (Mar. 6, 2025), https:\/\/www. history.com\/news\/puerto-rico-statehood [https:\/\/perma.cc\/C47G-2PMP].\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_close_btn_wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button type='button' class='footnote_close_btn js-footnote-close-btn' aria-label='Back to content'>close<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/cite>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t <em>In many respects, the island\u2019s government functions like those of the fifty states of the Union. Puerto Rico has a governor, a bicameral legislature, and a supreme court, and since 1952 has exercised powers of self-governance.<\/em>\n\t\t<span class='js-footnote footnote'>\n\t\t\t<button type='button' aria-controls='abstract_footnote_24017_3' class='footnote_inline_btn js-footnote-toggle-btn' aria-describedby='footnote_btn_text_abstract_footnote_24017_3'>\n\t\t\t\t<sup class='footnote_inline_btn_number'>3<\/sup>\n\t\t\t\t<span id='footnote_btn_text_abstract_footnote_24017_3' class='visually_hide'>Open footnote #3<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\n\t\t\t<cite id='abstract_footnote_24017_3' class='footnote_content_cite js-footnote-content'>\n\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content_wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<button type='button' class='footnote_content_number js-footnote-toggle-btn' aria-controls='abstract_footnote_24017_3' tabindex='-1'>3<\/button>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content_wrap_inner'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='visually_hide'>Footnote #3 content: <\/span><em>See<\/em> Anna Price, <em>The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and Its Government Structure<\/em>, LIBR. CONG.: BLOGS (Nov. 10, 2022), https:\/\/blogs.loc.gov\/law\/2022\/11\/the-commonwealth-of-puerto-rico-and-its- government-structure [https:\/\/perma.cc\/FT6B-LAUP]; <em>Developments in the Law: The U.S. Territories<\/em>, 130 HARV. L. REV. 1616, 1632\u201333 (2017).\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_close_btn_wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button type='button' class='footnote_close_btn js-footnote-close-btn' aria-label='Back to content'>close<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/cite>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t <em>The island\u2019s powers of self-governance stem from a congressional grant of sovereignty similar to that enjoyed by the fifty states, despite a much less certain constitutional doctrine underlying that grant of sovereignty.<\/em>\n\t\t<span class='js-footnote footnote'>\n\t\t\t<button type='button' aria-controls='abstract_footnote_24017_4' class='footnote_inline_btn js-footnote-toggle-btn' aria-describedby='footnote_btn_text_abstract_footnote_24017_4'>\n\t\t\t\t<sup class='footnote_inline_btn_number'>4<\/sup>\n\t\t\t\t<span id='footnote_btn_text_abstract_footnote_24017_4' class='visually_hide'>Open footnote #4<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\n\t\t\t<cite id='abstract_footnote_24017_4' class='footnote_content_cite js-footnote-content'>\n\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content_wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<button type='button' class='footnote_content_number js-footnote-toggle-btn' aria-controls='abstract_footnote_24017_4' tabindex='-1'>4<\/button>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content_wrap_inner'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='visually_hide'>Footnote #4 content: <\/span><em>See Developments in the Law<\/em>, <em>supra<\/em> note 3, at 1632\u201333.\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_close_btn_wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button type='button' class='footnote_close_btn js-footnote-close-btn' aria-label='Back to content'>close<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/cite>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t <em>But Puerto Rico is not a state, and recent federal actions intruding upon the island\u2019s power of self-governance have renewed calls to define\u2014or redefine\u2014what Puerto Rico is and should be.<\/em>\n\t\t<span class='js-footnote footnote'>\n\t\t\t<button type='button' aria-controls='abstract_footnote_24017_5' class='footnote_inline_btn js-footnote-toggle-btn' aria-describedby='footnote_btn_text_abstract_footnote_24017_5'>\n\t\t\t\t<sup class='footnote_inline_btn_number'>5<\/sup>\n\t\t\t\t<span id='footnote_btn_text_abstract_footnote_24017_5' class='visually_hide'>Open footnote #5<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\n\t\t\t<cite id='abstract_footnote_24017_5' class='footnote_content_cite js-footnote-content'>\n\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content_wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<button type='button' class='footnote_content_number js-footnote-toggle-btn' aria-controls='abstract_footnote_24017_5' tabindex='-1'>5<\/button>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content_wrap_inner'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='visually_hide'>Footnote #5 content: <\/span><em>See, e.g.<\/em>, Nicole Acevedo, <em>What\u2019s Behind Calls for Puerto Rico Statehood? Here Are 4 Things to Know.<\/em>, NBC NEWS (Mar. 3, 2021, 11:16 AM), https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/news\/latino\/what-s-behind- calls-puerto-rico-statehood-here-are-4-n1259300.\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_close_btn_wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button type='button' class='footnote_close_btn js-footnote-close-btn' aria-label='Back to content'>close<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/cite>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t <em>The federal\u2013state relationship differs greatly from the federal\u2013territory relationship. On the one hand, the federal\u2013state relationship comprises two separate sovereigns\u2014the federal government and the states\u2014and the Tenth Amendment is one of several constitutional provisions delineating the balance of power between those two sovereigns.<\/em>\n\t\t<span class='js-footnote footnote'>\n\t\t\t<button type='button' aria-controls='abstract_footnote_24017_6' class='footnote_inline_btn js-footnote-toggle-btn' aria-describedby='footnote_btn_text_abstract_footnote_24017_6'>\n\t\t\t\t<sup class='footnote_inline_btn_number'>6<\/sup>\n\t\t\t\t<span id='footnote_btn_text_abstract_footnote_24017_6' class='visually_hide'>Open footnote #6<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\n\t\t\t<cite id='abstract_footnote_24017_6' class='footnote_content_cite js-footnote-content'>\n\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content_wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<button type='button' class='footnote_content_number js-footnote-toggle-btn' aria-controls='abstract_footnote_24017_6' tabindex='-1'>6<\/button>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content_wrap_inner'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='visually_hide'>Footnote #6 content: <\/span>The Tenth Amendment states: \u201cThe powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.\u201d U.S. CONST. amend. X.\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_close_btn_wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button type='button' class='footnote_close_btn js-footnote-close-btn' aria-label='Back to content'>close<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/cite>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t <em>In fact, the Court has recognized the Tenth Amendment as an independent limitation on what the federal government can do vis-\u00e0-vis the states.<\/em>\n\t\t<span class='js-footnote footnote'>\n\t\t\t<button type='button' aria-controls='abstract_footnote_24017_7' class='footnote_inline_btn js-footnote-toggle-btn' aria-describedby='footnote_btn_text_abstract_footnote_24017_7'>\n\t\t\t\t<sup class='footnote_inline_btn_number'>7<\/sup>\n\t\t\t\t<span id='footnote_btn_text_abstract_footnote_24017_7' class='visually_hide'>Open footnote #7<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\n\t\t\t<cite id='abstract_footnote_24017_7' class='footnote_content_cite js-footnote-content'>\n\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content_wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<button type='button' class='footnote_content_number js-footnote-toggle-btn' aria-controls='abstract_footnote_24017_7' tabindex='-1'>7<\/button>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content_wrap_inner'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='visually_hide'>Footnote #7 content: <\/span><em>See, e.g.<\/em>, Nat\u2019l League of Cities v. Usery, 426 U.S. 833, 842\u201343 (1976); New York v. United States, 505 U.S. 144, 156\u201357 (1992); Printz v. United States, 521 U.S. 898, 919 (1997).\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_close_btn_wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button type='button' class='footnote_close_btn js-footnote-close-btn' aria-label='Back to content'>close<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/cite>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t <em>The constitutional division of authority between the federal government and the states, a concept known as \u201cfederalism,\u201d protects the states from the arbitrary exercise of federal power.<\/em>\n\t\t<span class='js-footnote footnote'>\n\t\t\t<button type='button' aria-controls='abstract_footnote_24017_8' class='footnote_inline_btn js-footnote-toggle-btn' aria-describedby='footnote_btn_text_abstract_footnote_24017_8'>\n\t\t\t\t<sup class='footnote_inline_btn_number'>8<\/sup>\n\t\t\t\t<span id='footnote_btn_text_abstract_footnote_24017_8' class='visually_hide'>Open footnote #8<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\n\t\t\t<cite id='abstract_footnote_24017_8' class='footnote_content_cite js-footnote-content'>\n\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content_wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<button type='button' class='footnote_content_number js-footnote-toggle-btn' aria-controls='abstract_footnote_24017_8' tabindex='-1'>8<\/button>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content_wrap_inner'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='visually_hide'>Footnote #8 content: <\/span>Nat\u2019l Fed\u2019n of Indep. Bus. v. Sebelius, 567 U.S. 519, 536 (2012); <em>see also<\/em> Akhil Reed Amar, <em>Of Sovereignty and Federalism<\/em>, 96 YALE L.J. 1425, 1448\u201351 (1987) (discussing the development of American-style federalism).\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_close_btn_wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button type='button' class='footnote_close_btn js-footnote-close-btn' aria-label='Back to content'>close<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/cite>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t <em>On the other hand, the federal\u2013territory relationship comprises only one sovereign\u2014the federal government\u2014and the Territory Clause of Article IV gives Congress, an entity over which U.S. territories have little influence,<\/em>\n\t\t<span class='js-footnote footnote'>\n\t\t\t<button type='button' aria-controls='abstract_footnote_24017_9' class='footnote_inline_btn js-footnote-toggle-btn' aria-describedby='footnote_btn_text_abstract_footnote_24017_9'>\n\t\t\t\t<sup class='footnote_inline_btn_number'>9<\/sup>\n\t\t\t\t<span id='footnote_btn_text_abstract_footnote_24017_9' class='visually_hide'>Open footnote #9<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\n\t\t\t<cite id='abstract_footnote_24017_9' class='footnote_content_cite js-footnote-content'>\n\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content_wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<button type='button' class='footnote_content_number js-footnote-toggle-btn' aria-controls='abstract_footnote_24017_9' tabindex='-1'>9<\/button>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content_wrap_inner'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='visually_hide'>Footnote #9 content: <\/span>Residents of U.S. territories have only non-voting representation in Congress. <em>See<\/em> U.S. GOV\u2019T ACCOUNTABILITY OFF., GAO\/OGC-98-5, U.S. INSULAR AREAS: APPLICATION OF THE U.S. CONSTITUTION 26\u201327 (1997).\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_close_btn_wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button type='button' class='footnote_close_btn js-footnote-close-btn' aria-label='Back to content'>close<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/cite>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t <em>ample powers to \u201cdispose of\u201d and \u201cmake all needful Rules and Regulations\u201d respecting those territories.<\/em>\n\t\t<span class='js-footnote footnote'>\n\t\t\t<button type='button' aria-controls='abstract_footnote_24017_10' class='footnote_inline_btn js-footnote-toggle-btn' aria-describedby='footnote_btn_text_abstract_footnote_24017_10'>\n\t\t\t\t<sup class='footnote_inline_btn_number'>10<\/sup>\n\t\t\t\t<span id='footnote_btn_text_abstract_footnote_24017_10' class='visually_hide'>Open footnote #10<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\n\t\t\t<cite id='abstract_footnote_24017_10' class='footnote_content_cite js-footnote-content'>\n\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content_wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<button type='button' class='footnote_content_number js-footnote-toggle-btn' aria-controls='abstract_footnote_24017_10' tabindex='-1'>10<\/button>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content_wrap_inner'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='visually_hide'>Footnote #10 content: <\/span>U.S. CONST. art. IV, \u00a7 3, cl. 2.\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_close_btn_wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button type='button' class='footnote_close_btn js-footnote-close-btn' aria-label='Back to content'>close<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/cite>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t Consequently, the power of self-governance that Puerto Rico enjoys today exists only because Congress authorized it through federal law.\n\t\t<span class='js-footnote footnote'>\n\t\t\t<button type='button' aria-controls='abstract_footnote_24017_11' class='footnote_inline_btn js-footnote-toggle-btn' aria-describedby='footnote_btn_text_abstract_footnote_24017_11'>\n\t\t\t\t<sup class='footnote_inline_btn_number'>11<\/sup>\n\t\t\t\t<span id='footnote_btn_text_abstract_footnote_24017_11' class='visually_hide'>Open footnote #11<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\n\t\t\t<cite id='abstract_footnote_24017_11' class='footnote_content_cite js-footnote-content'>\n\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content_wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<button type='button' class='footnote_content_number js-footnote-toggle-btn' aria-controls='abstract_footnote_24017_11' tabindex='-1'>11<\/button>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content_wrap_inner'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='visually_hide'>Footnote #11 content: <\/span><em>See<\/em> Puerto Rico Federal Relations Act of 1950 \u00a7 1, 48 U.S.C. \u00a7 731b.\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_close_btn_wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button type='button' class='footnote_close_btn js-footnote-close-btn' aria-label='Back to content'>close<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/cite>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t <em>This seemingly undemocratic distinction between the federal\u2013state relationship and the federal\u2013territory relationship has led some to conclude that Puerto Rico is a colony of the United States.<\/em>\n\t\t<span class='js-footnote footnote'>\n\t\t\t<button type='button' aria-controls='abstract_footnote_24017_12' class='footnote_inline_btn js-footnote-toggle-btn' aria-describedby='footnote_btn_text_abstract_footnote_24017_12'>\n\t\t\t\t<sup class='footnote_inline_btn_number'>12<\/sup>\n\t\t\t\t<span id='footnote_btn_text_abstract_footnote_24017_12' class='visually_hide'>Open footnote #12<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\n\t\t\t<cite id='abstract_footnote_24017_12' class='footnote_content_cite js-footnote-content'>\n\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content_wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<button type='button' class='footnote_content_number js-footnote-toggle-btn' aria-controls='abstract_footnote_24017_12' tabindex='-1'>12<\/button>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content_wrap_inner'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='visually_hide'>Footnote #12 content: <\/span><em>See, e.g.<\/em>, Juan R. Torruella, <em>\u00bfHacia d\u00f3nde vas Puerto Rico?<\/em>, 107 YALE L.J. 1503, 1519\u201320 (1998). <em>See generally<\/em> JOS\u00c9 TR\u00cdAS MONGE, PUERTO RICO: THE TRIALS OF THE OLDEST COLONY IN THE WORLD (1997). A colony is \u201c[a] dependent territorial entity subject to the sovereignty of an independent\ncountry, but considered part of that country for purposes of relations with third countries.\u201d <em>Colony<\/em>, BLACK\u2019S LAW DICTIONARY (9th ed. 2009).\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_close_btn_wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button type='button' class='footnote_close_btn js-footnote-close-btn' aria-label='Back to content'>close<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/cite>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t <em>And though students of the Puerto Rico\u2013U.S. relationship might agree with the colony label, unexplored legal avenues exist for Puerto Rico to claim rights typically reserved to the states. Indeed, the Tenth Amendment speaks about more than just states: it speaks about rights reserved to the \u201cstates, or to the people.\u201d<\/em>\n\t\t<span class='js-footnote footnote'>\n\t\t\t<button type='button' aria-controls='abstract_footnote_24017_13' class='footnote_inline_btn js-footnote-toggle-btn' aria-describedby='footnote_btn_text_abstract_footnote_24017_13'>\n\t\t\t\t<sup class='footnote_inline_btn_number'>13<\/sup>\n\t\t\t\t<span id='footnote_btn_text_abstract_footnote_24017_13' class='visually_hide'>Open footnote #13<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\n\t\t\t<cite id='abstract_footnote_24017_13' class='footnote_content_cite js-footnote-content'>\n\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content_wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<button type='button' class='footnote_content_number js-footnote-toggle-btn' aria-controls='abstract_footnote_24017_13' tabindex='-1'>13<\/button>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content_wrap_inner'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_content'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='visually_hide'>Footnote #13 content: <\/span>U.S. CONST. amend. X (emphasis added).\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='footnote_close_btn_wrap'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<button type='button' class='footnote_close_btn js-footnote-close-btn' aria-label='Back to content'>close<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/cite>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t <em>This Note argues there is another way to think about what Puerto Rico currently is\u2014constitutionally speaking. <\/em><em>This Note proceeds in three Parts. Part I summarizes the political and legal relationship between Puerto Rico and the United States. Part II argues that the Tenth Amendment\u2019s restrictions on federal power protect more than just states, as evidenced by both the text itself and the Court\u2019s case law defining the term \u201cthe people\u201d in other constitutional contexts. Part II further reasons that through the federal government\u2019s grant of U.S. citizenship to Puerto Ricans in 1917 and its subsequent state-like treatment of Puerto Rico from 1952 to 2016, Puerto Ricans became part of \u201cthe people\u201d protected by the Tenth Amendment. Finally, Part III explains how the Court\u2019s \u201canti-commandeering\u201d principle can protect Puerto Rico and why recent federal legislation affecting the island is unconstitutional under this federalist framework.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Continue reading\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.georgetown.edu\/georgetown-law-journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/26\/2025\/12\/Martinez_The-People-Protects-the-People-of-Puerto-Rico-Giving-Meaning-to-an-Uninterpreted-Part-of-the-Tenth-Amendment.pdf\"><strong><em>\u201cThe People\u201d Protects the People of Puerto Rico: Giving Meaning to an Uninterpreted Part of the Tenth Amendment<\/em><\/strong><\/a><em>.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.georgetown.edu\/georgetown-law-journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/26\/2025\/12\/Martinez_The-People-Protects-the-People-of-Puerto-Rico-Giving-Meaning-to-an-Uninterpreted-Part-of-the-Tenth-Amendment.pdf\" class=\"pdfemb-viewer\" style=\"\" data-width=\"max\" data-height=\"max\" data-toolbar=\"bottom\" data-toolbar-fixed=\"off\">Martinez_The-People-Protects-the-People-of-Puerto-Rico-Giving-Meaning-to-an-Uninterpreted-Part-of-the-Tenth-Amendment<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The island of Puerto Rico is unique\u2014not just culturally, but politically and constitutionally. In the words of the U.S. Supreme Court, Puerto Rico \u201coccupies a relationship to the United States [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16434,"featured_media":0,"parent":24000,"menu_order":4,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"abstract.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"0","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"footnotes":"","_tec_slr_enabled":"","_tec_slr_layout":""},"class_list":["post-24017","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"ticketed":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.law.georgetown.edu\/georgetown-law-journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/24017","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.law.georgetown.edu\/georgetown-law-journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.law.georgetown.edu\/georgetown-law-journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.law.georgetown.edu\/georgetown-law-journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16434"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.law.georgetown.edu\/georgetown-law-journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24017"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.law.georgetown.edu\/georgetown-law-journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/24017\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24024,"href":"https:\/\/www.law.georgetown.edu\/georgetown-law-journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/24017\/revisions\/24024"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.law.georgetown.edu\/georgetown-law-journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/24000"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.law.georgetown.edu\/georgetown-law-journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24017"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}