US may require parents to prove citizenship or immigration status when applying for children’s passports

Parents applying for US passports for their children could soon have to prove their own citizenship or immigration status under a State Department proposal tied to President Donald Trump’s latest effort to restrict birthright citizenship.

The draft guidance, reviewed by Reuters, offers the first detailed indication of how the department could enforce Trump’s August 6 executive order targeting what it calls “birth tourism.” That practice involves women traveling to the United States to give birth so their children can obtain automatic citizenship.

Under the proposal, parents or legal guardians would submit documents such as a valid US passport, birth certificate, I-94 form or permanent resident card. The department says it would use the information to determine whether a child falls within the order’s restrictions.

The order would target children whose parent works for a foreign government in the United States, has engaged in fraud or a commercial transaction to obtain citizenship, or is classified as an “alien enemy.” The department’s draft says it would require parental information and evidence of parental citizenship or immigration status when deciding whether the child is covered by the order.

The administration has made limiting birthright citizenship a central part of its immigration crackdown. Trump’s earlier order would have granted automatic citizenship only to children with at least one US-citizen parent or lawful permanent resident parent. The Supreme Court later ruled that order unconstitutional in a 6-3 decision, finding that it violated the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment.

State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said, “President Trump has been unequivocal that this Administration will protect the meaning and value of American citizenship, full stop, and that includes making sure our passport adjudication process fully reflects that standard.” The August 6 order could still face legal challenges in court.

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President Trump has been unequivocal that this Administration will protect the meaning and value of American citizenship, full stop, and that includes making sure our passport adjudication process fully reflects that standard.