The U.S. State Department has proposed requiring parents applying for passports for their children to provide proof of their own citizenship or immigration status as part of President Donald Trump's effort to limit birthright citizenship.
The proposed changes could significantly alter the process for obtaining U.S. citizenship for children born in the United States, potentially impacting families and raising legal questions about the interpretation of the 14th Amendment.
The U.S. State Department has proposed new guidance that would require parents applying for passports for their children to provide proof of their own citizenship or immigration status. This move is part of President Donald Trump's broader initiative to curb birthright citizenship, particularly targeting 'birth tourism.'
The draft guidance, reviewed by Reuters, outlines how the State Department could enforce Trump's executive order aimed at limiting automatic citizenship for children born in the U.S. to parents who are not U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents.
Under the proposed directive, parents would need to submit evidence of their citizenship, such as a U.S. passport or birth certificate, or proof of immigration status, like an I-94 form or a green card. This information would be used to determine if the child qualifies for citizenship under the new order. Currently, parents of U.S.-born children only need to provide proof of parentage and photo identification.
This latest effort follows a previous attempt by Trump to restrict birthright citizenship, which was deemed unlawful by the Supreme Court. The new order specifically targets children with parents working for foreign governments in the U.S., those engaged in fraud to obtain citizenship, or those classified as 'alien enemies.'
Legal challenges are already underway, with lawyers asking federal judges to block the order. During a hearing, U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman, appointed by President Joe Biden, expressed skepticism about the order and allowed plaintiffs to revise their lawsuit.