> “John McCain was eligible even though he was not born in the US, because both his parents were US citizens.”
Actually he was born in Panama, a territory of the USA at the time and territories such as Puerto Rico, Guam and others are considered under the jurisdiction of the USA.
An embassy is also of course under the jurisdiction of the USA.
The NBC requires birth in the USA or its terrorities to two parents each of whom are US citizens.
It’s interesting that even here people don’t agree on what NBC means. You have the
“Both Parents were Citizens” group
“Both Parents were Citizens and Born in a State”
“Both Parents were Citizens and Born ‘under jurisdiction’ which includes the Panama Canal Zone”
“Was a citizen at the time of his birth, by any circumstance including one parent, or birth on US soil alone. All citizens who are not naturalized”
This has never been clarified by the Congress, so it’s down to battling interpretations. Some use 18th century legal dictionaries, some use obscure case law to back up their favored theories.
It’s interesting that even here people don’t agree on what NBC means. You have the
“Both Parents were Citizens” group
“Both Parents were Citizens and Born in a State”
“Both Parents were Citizens and Born ‘under jurisdiction’ which includes the Panama Canal Zone”
“Was a citizen at the time of his birth, by any circumstance including one parent, or birth on US soil alone. All citizens who are not naturalized”
This has never been clarified by the Congress, so it’s down to battling interpretations. Some use 18th century legal dictionaries, some use obscure case law to back up their favored theories.