Cbodt, by “aliens” you mean that they would not be U.S. Nationals?
At this time, we have only a few unincorporated territories that are populated whose population isn’t by Act of Congress citizens of the U.S. One of these - American Samoa - has a population that is U.S. Nationals but not U.S. citizens. They are not aliens in the following sense: they have a right to naturalize. Aliens don’t have such a right. Immigrating here is for us to decide.
The Marshall Islands is one of two sovereign countries in free association with the United States. (This means we provide them with foreign aid and assure their national defense, and in return, we can use their territory for our joint national defense.) The people there are not U.S. Nationals. They actually are aliens.
Is that what you’re talking about?
That is correct.
The US, and I assume some of its territories as well, includes people who are not citizens or nationals, but are legal residents.
Children of those legal residents, who are not US nationals or citizens, born in Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, are made citizens of the US at birth, by operation of Acts of Congress. They have exactly the same status that Ted Cruz had at his birth, also by operation of an Act of Congress. Congress already decided that those persons are citizens.
I was not referring to American Samoa or the Marshall Islands.