State Department Proposes Parental Proof for Child Passports

The United States Department of State has proposed new draft guidance requiring parents to provide proof of their own citizenship or immigration status when applying for passports for their children. This measure implements an August 6 executive order issued by President Donald Trump intended to target birth tourism and expand exceptions to birthright citizenship.

Under the proposal, the government would withhold citizenship from children if their parents are classified as alien enemies, work for foreign governments in the US, or used fraud or commercial transactions to obtain citizenship. This follows a previous attempt by the administration to limit birthright citizenship that the Supreme Court of the United States ruled unconstitutional.

The order is currently facing legal challenges, including a class-action lawsuit. US District Judge Deborah Boardman has expressed skepticism regarding the unprecedented nature of the order. In response, the United States Department of Justice has argued that such legal challenges are premature because the government has not yet issued final public guidance.