US territories confront American identity amid 250th, Iran war

As the United States celebrates its 250th birthday this year, residents of its territories wrestle with an uneasy truth: they serve the nation, but are not fully served by it.

Kevin Méndez can still smell the scent of freshly baked bread wafting out of his local panadería.

He still hears the nighttime chirps of the coqui frog and pictures the skateboard-toting children crowding palm-tree-lined streets at the end of a school day.

When he closes his eyes, he dreams of his slice of America.

Méndez left his hometown, Fajardo, Puerto Rico, in 2020 to teach high school English in Maryland.But since the move, he said he’s felt more than ever like an outsider. 

“People view Puerto Rico as kind of an object," the 29-year-old said. "It has the tropical vibes that people can go visit, but at the end of the day, they see it as lesser than.”

The lack of understanding makes him question his sense of belonging.

“I know that I'm a part of America, but I feel even more Puerto Rican living in the U.S.,” he said. 

As the United States celebrates 250 years of independence, residents from the nation’s five inhabited territories told USA TODAY they feel perpetually conflicted about their identity as Americans, given their distinct cultures and lack of full legal rights.