Puerto Rico became a possession of the United States in 1898. More than a century later, many Americans are still confused about Puerto Rico. Is it a state? Does it have its own President…or maybe a king? Do people from the mainland need a passport to visit?
Shortly before Hurricane Maria, a national survey found that nearly half of all people living the states did not know that Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens. When Hurricane Maria devastated the Island, social media was full of comments asking why the United States was taking responsibility for the damage. For these Americans, it seemed as though some foreign country was expecting FEMA support.
After Hurricane Maria, most Americans have come to understand that people born in Puerto Rico are U.S. citizens. The hurricane, deadly though it was, was also a moment for Puerto Rico. The headlines and photos woke up stateside Americans to the fact that Puerto Rico is part of the United States.
Nonetheless, when the NFL chose Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny for the Super Bowl halftime show, social media and news media were full of objections that the Super Bowl halftime show should be reserved for Americans. Other commenters corrected the errors. Some pointed out that halftime performers like the Rolling Stones were not American, but most reminded fellow visitors that Puerto Ricans are American.
Is Bad Bunny American?
Yes, since Bad Bunny was born in Puerto Rico, he is a U.S. citizen by birthright. The Jones-Shafroth Act of 1917 conferred U.S. citizenship on everyone born in Puerto Rico starting on April 11, 1899, as well as those living in Puerto Rico at the time, unless they chose Spanish citizenship. The Nationality Act of 1940 tidied things up, ensuring that people who had been away from the Island in April of 1899 would also have U.S. citizenship.
There is no question about Bad Bunny’s citizenship.
Why do some people think Bad Bunny is not a U.S. citizen?
Some people, hearing Bad Bunny singing in Spanish, may assume that he comes from a Spanish-speaking country such as Mexico. Google reports that “Where is Bad Bunny from?” is a breakout search, meaning that large numbers of people in January 2026 are searching for the answer to this question on Google.
Unfortunately, some people who know that Bad Bunny is a Puerto Rican artist may still not realize that Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States. Google also reports that “Is Puerto Rico part of the United States?” is currently a breakout search.
The bad news is that many Americans still do not know the basic geography of their native country.
The good news
The good news is that these searches represent large numbers of people learning that Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States. The controversy also presents opportunities to share information about Puerto Rico and the political status of the Island. It could even be a chance to talk about Puerto Rico’s need for a permanent political status after all these years. Bad Bunny’s halftime show can be a moment for Puerto Rico to reach stateside Americans and help to repair the ignorance about Puerto Rico that still plagues the United States.
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