The US State Department has put forth a proposal that would require parents to verify their citizenship or immigration status when applying for passports for their children. This development was reported by Reuters, which cited draft guidance that has been reviewed.
The proposed measure is part of ongoing discussions regarding immigration policies and their implications for families seeking to obtain travel documents for minors.
Non-citizen parents could be required to submit documents showing their immigration status, including an I-94 form or a lawful permanent resident card.
The proposal is part of President Donald Trump ’s latest effort to restrict birthright citizenship and enforce an August 6 executive order targeting what his administration calls “birth tourism”. Parents could be asked to provide proof such as a valid US passport or birth certificate if they are US citizens, according to Reuters. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott told Reuters that the Trump administration would ensure that the passport adjudication process reflects its approach to protecting the “meaning and value” of US citizenship.
Under the current passport process, parents of children born in the US generally need to establish their relationship to the child and provide photo identification. They are also asked to indicate on the application whether they are US citizens, but supporting proof of their own citizenship is not generally required.
The Supreme Court later ruled that attempt unlawful, with the majority finding that it violated the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment, Reuters reported.
These include cases where a parent works for a foreign government in the US, is involved in fraud or a commercial transaction to obtain citizenship, or is classified as an “alien enemy”. The latest directive targets children whose parents fall into specific categories.
Trump’s earlier executive order sought to deny automatic citizenship to children born in the US unless at least one parent was a US citizen or lawful permanent resident.
Judge Allows Plaintiffs to Revise Lawsuit Amid Skepticism
During a recent hearing in Maryland, US District Judge Deborah Boardman expressed doubts regarding the new order, as reported by Reuters. Despite her skepticism, she permitted the plaintiffs to amend their lawsuit, enabling her to evaluate whether to issue a block against the order.
