Gregorio Igartúa, in an op-ed for the San Juan Daily Star, has imagined what an independent Puerto Rico would be like on its first day as a new nation. His article lists a number of hardships that could be expected.
Citizenship
Igartúa points out that continued U.S. citizenship for citizens of a new nation of Puerto Rico is uncertain at best. He shares several possibilities for the fate of U.S. citizenship in the new country, including having a grace period in which Puerto Rican born U.S. citizens would be required to confirm their U.S. citizenship and establish a related residence in a U.S. state or territory, like the U.S. Virgin Islands or Florida. Igartúa concludes that all persons born in Puerto Rico after Independence will be Puerto Rican citizens and not American citizens.
Implications stemming from this loss of automatic U.S. citizenship may be extensive, as he explains: “Puerto Rico residents will require a passport to travel to and from the 50 states. Those who are not American citizens may even require a visa. Non-American citizens who wish to emigrate to the United States will be subject to a quota system, just like citizens of foreign countries are. It may take several years for those Puerto Rican citizens of the Republic of Puerto Rico who qualify to become American citizens to be able to move their residence to a state.”
What Happens to U.S. Citizenship If Puerto Rico Becomes a Foreign Country? Possible Scenarios
Defense
Iguarta points out that U.S. military service will no longer be an option for Puerto Ricans after independence. “The more than 30,000 residents of Puerto Rico currently in the National Guard and the Reserves will lose their part-time, and in many cases, only well-paying job, not to speak of the potential for a lifetime military pension,” he writes.
The FBI, Coast Guard, U.S. Customs, Border Patrol and police will no longer have any responsibility for Puerto Rico, and the fledgling country will have to establish and implement its own plans for defense and border control.
Safeguards and Protections
U.S. watchdog agencies like OSHA, EPA, and the FDA will no longer function, so standards for food safety and worker safety will be vulnerable until Puerto Rico creates and then implements its own systems. Federal government workers in Puerto Rico will lose their jobs, and FEMA support will end.
Iguarta points out that the FDIC will no longer guarantee the safety of bank deposits, and suggests that many current depositors will move their funds to banks in the states rather than take their chances. If this happens, it could lead to a collapse of Puerto Rican banks.
Financial Support and Individual Benefits
While Puerto Rico might be able to negotiate some sort of transition for federal benefits, Iguarta suggest that Medicare, Medicaid, nutrition assistance, Pell grants, and other federal benefits could simply end quite suddenly.
Puerto Ricans will lose access to prestigious medical centers in Boston, Houston and other U.S. cities to receive the specialized medical care that they are used to through the U.S. Medicare program.
Educational credentials and licenses from Puerto Rican colleges, universities and technical schools might no longer be accepted in stateside jobs, making stateside employment more complicated and challenging.
Would Free Association solve these problems?
It has been suggested by some that forging a treaty or compact of free association with the U.S., if possible, could solve all of the problems outlined above, but there is a lack of evidence to support this claim. Instead, as Igartúa concludes:
“It is pertinent to consider that political and commercial relations between Puerto Rico and the United States will have to be channeled by negotiation of treaties, and or agreements, as is the case with other countries. Puerto Rico will have to incur the cost of opening embassies in all countries and sending delegates to international regional and world private and public organizations. Finally, there is no guarantee that the Republic of Puerto Rico will have a democratic form of government. Many of those who favor independence openly sympathize with Castro’s Cuba and Chávez’s Venezuela.”
Economic Implications of Independence
Certainly independence is an option for Puerto Rico. Compared with other Caribbean island nations, however, Puerto Rico is in a stronger position economically. Puerto Rico obtains many benefits from its U.S. relationship, as Gregorio Igartúa shares in his recent contribution to the San Juan Daily Star.
