Ithaca College

 "Americans need real presidential leadership because it is sometimes a matter of life and death, and not about ratings, popularity or reality TV," claims Dr. Figueroa.

"As a US citizen from Puerto Rico, I take President Trump’s slow response to the island’s humanitarian crisis seriously, as should others. I was born in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, which is located a few miles south of San Juan, and raised in New York City and Trenton, New Jersey. My perspective is not unique, but I share it solely to highlight the fact that, since at least the mid-2000s, Puerto Rico’s population has declined from 3.7 million to 3.4 million partly due to having access to mainland economic markets through a limited statutory form of US citizenship on the island.

Puerto Rico’s longstanding colonial territorial status, deceivingly called Free Associated State or Commonwealth, means the US Congress not only maintains complete sovereign rule over the territory, including having the final word over the political status question, but also controls over 80% of the island’s economy. The Jones Act, as already mentioned, reinforces the colonial ties between the US and Puerto Rico, which diminishes any form or level of individual citizenship."

Please read full article here:  https://www.fairobserver.com/region/north_america/donald-trump-puerto-rico-crisis-hurricane-maria-latest-news-94045/