You'd be surprised at the number of States that permit first cousins to marry.
Texas permits it, but only because we're so close to Louisiana.
---and I'm not surprised at how few first cousins do marry---I've known of none--nor any second cousin marriages--
I had clients once who's children had all sorts of mental and physical problems, and tended to die early. The doctors and mental health didn't know what was going on. I finally did some digging and found out they were half brother and sister! Of course, they still didn't see what the big deal was. Mind boggling.
Might I point out that while some states do allow first cousins to marry, only those like the family that whelped Bill Clinton are the types to practice such marriages as a matter of habit.
Americans have known about the genetic risks of such marriages for generations. Remember the Juke and the Kalikack families?
The Saudi's have been inbreeding themselves for more than a few generations. They truly are degenerate, literally.
It doesn't surprise me to know such archaic laws may still be on the books. But I think that in the U.S. most of us are smart enough to understand the problems involved, and to look elsewhere for spouses. I didn't marry a relative, and I'll bet you didn't, either!
My parents are technically first cousins, but my father was adopted.
"You'd be surprised at the number of States that permit first cousins to marry."
There was a story about an Arkansas couple getting a divorce - after the judge granted the divorce the guy says 'Judge, I've got just one question - does this mean she'll still be my sister?"
If a couple from Saudi Arabia moved to California, would they still legally be considered brother and sister?