If they become a state, they have to pay federal income taxes, right? Guess that might give a few people pause, but most are on federal welfare of some type or another so I bet a vote will fail.
So that's why we need to grant independence to Puerto Rico. But we'll make a deal. After the independence of Puerto Rico, they get one year to claim Ameican citizenship (they have to move to mainland).
My prediction. 50% of the population will leave. But the island will not have to pay U.S. federal taxes (which is the case at the moment) and they will have to secure their economic independence. So if they clean up their act, there's a lot of potential. Or it'll become the next Haiti.
The tentacle are already entrenched and the rat cancer is as well, this is ours to keep