Steven, an abandoned child or orphan discovered in the U.S. without parents is automatically, according to Federal statutes, assumed to be a native born citizen.
This information used to be on ICE’s online site, but since its responsibilities have been taken over by USCIS, I haven’t been able to find it again. So, sorry I have no link for you.
Hawaii became a State Aug 21 1959.
The Child was not abandoned. In my wild assumption, the State takes the Child. This move would allow the child to grow up away from a community of sick people. The State could grant Citizenship, but definitely not Natural Born Citizenship
If, and its a big if, a child was born in the Colony, odds indicate his parents were Polynesian.
Christian Missionaries performed great works of Charity helping the sick
The Mormons, LDS, also provided a lot of relief to the Colony.
We do not know what kind of records the LDS created.
This proposed story line is VERY unusual. One question would be the age of the Child when he, or she, was moved from the Colony to the Mainland orphanages or Foster Parents.
Any debate on this scenario has to wait for more information. I simply noted the State’s asserted that Barry’s records are locked in the same room/vault with the Leper Colony records! The State has not exactly been 100% co-operative when releasing information.
Can’t wait for Corsi’s book!