Stateless in the United States: Current Reality and a Future Prediction Polly J. Price* ABSTRACT Statelessness exists in the United States-a fact that should be of concern to advocates of strict immigration control as well as those who favor a more welcoming policy. The predominant reasons for statelessness include the presence of individuals who are unable to prove their nationality and the failure of their countries of origin to recognize them as citizens. Migrants with unclear nationality, already a problem for the United States, obstruct efforts to control immigration by the deportation of unauthorized aliens. These existing problems of national identity will increase exponentially if birthright citizenship in the United States is amended to exclude the children of undocumented aliens. Contrary to common assumptions, proposed changes to U.S. citizenship law would exacerbate statelessness into the next generation when no fallback nationality is available. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. II. ...................................... INTRODUCTION THE PRESENT PROBLEM OF STATELESSNESS ............. A. B. Statelessness as an International ....................... Sociopolitical Concern Statelessness in the Western Hemisphere.......... 1. De Jure Statelessness in the Americas ...... 2. De Facto Statelessness in the Americas..... ....... a. Latin America ............... 444 447 447 455 456 458 458 Professor of Law, Emory University School of Law. My thanks to participants in the following conferences for comments on earlier versions of this Article: Citizenship in Question: Evidentiary Challenges for Jus Soli (Boston College); Emory-UGA Summer Workshop; and an Emory Law School faculty colloquium. Ed Shoemaker, J.D., Ph.D., provided valuable comments, and Justin Russo added excellent research assistance. This Article was supported by a research grant from Emory Law School. 443