Tapaau Dr. Dan Aga will participate in a roundtable discussion at the 2026 Law & Society Association Annual Meeting in San Francisco: “Citizenship and Colonial Rule: The Question of Birthright Citizenship in U.S. Territories.” The session will take place on May 29, 2026, at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square.

Tapaau formerly served as Director of the Office of Political Status, Constitutional Review & Federal Relations in American Samoa. He now writes independently on governance and constitutional issues affecting American Samoa.

Tapaau Dr. Dan Aga [Courtesy photo]

His contribution explores whether different constitutional relationships may produce different citizenship outcomes across U.S. territories, and whether constitutional origins — including relationships formed through agreements such as the Deeds of Cession — may influence how later questions of citizenship, political status, and constitutional interpretation are understood.

“My interest is whether debates over citizenship sometimes begin after foundational constitutional assumptions have already been made,” Tapaau noted.

The session explores citizenship, constitutional relationships, and colonial legacies across U.S. territories, including participants from Columbia, Yale, Rutgers, Michigan, and organizations focused on democracy and territorial rights.

(The accompanying map highlights how different constitutional relationships may shape citizenship outcomes across U.S. territories.)

Conference Information: Law & Society Association 2026 Annual Meeting