New petition seeks Puerto Rico’s territorial incorporation.
- The San Juan Daily Star
- Mar 23
- 1 min read
By THE STAR STAFF
A new pro‑statehood group spearheaded by lawyer Gregorio Igartúa has issued a new petition urging Congress to formally certify Puerto Rico as an incorporated territory.
The organization, American Union, is asserting that incorporation reflects Puerto Rico’s existing reality and should be explicitly recognized as the next step in the island’s political evolution. It is not the first time Igartúa has asked for Puerto Rico’s territorial incorporation.
“Our request is in harmony with the special interests of Gov. Jenniffer González,” the petition notes.
The appeal comes after the island’s governor held a summit promoting statehood earlier this month in Washington.
Igartúa used the moment to call for an end to plebiscites as a tool for resolving the island’s political status. He argues that continuing to rely on local or federally sanctioned votes risks undermining long‑standing rights of U.S. citizenship and distracts from what he views as the island’s long-established trajectory toward statehood. He compared the idea of repeatedly voting on status to asking African Americans during the civil‑rights era to vote on whether they deserved federal voting rights.
Igartúa pointed to key historical milestones — Puerto Rico’s cession to the United States in 1898, the granting of U.S. citizenship in 1917, the establishment of birthright citizenship in 1950, and Congress’ approval of Puerto Rico’s Constitution in 1952 — as evidence that the island has followed the same pattern of political integration as territories that eventually became states.
He also emphasized that the island’s two major political parties — the pro‑statehood NPP and the autonomist PDP — are composed largely of voters who support maintaining U.S. citizenship.
As recent as 2021 Democrat congressman Rob Bishop and a group of Republican house members suggested rigging up Congressional legislation to declare Puerto Rico and Incorporated US territory. The bill would have former formerly recognized Puerto Rico as an indivisible part of the United States. Closing the door to Independence forever and recognizing the consistent voter consent after every plebiscite of the vast majority of Puerto Ricans choosing to maintain political union with the United States. Then territory delegate also known as resident commissioner Jennifer Gonzalez rejected the motion. The local statehood party and Puerto Rico GOP was divided. Unfortunately the voices against Incorporation won out. The argument being Puerto Rico was already a territory for over 120 years. We…