US Mulls Immigration Status Checks For Children’s Passport Applications

The United States State Department is reportedly considering requiring parents to provide proof of their citizenship or immigration status when applying for passports for their children.

According to Reuters, the proposal outlines how the department could enforce President Donald Trump’s latest executive order targeting what his administration describes as “birth tourism” — the practice of pregnant women travelling to the US on non-immigrant visas to give birth so their children can obtain American citizenship.

Trump signed two executive orders last month seeking to restrict birthright citizenship, marking his second attempt to curtail the right after the Supreme Court rejected his earlier effort.

His initial executive order sought to grant automatic US citizenship at birth only to children with at least one parent who is an American citizen or a lawful permanent resident, commonly known as a green card holder.

However, in a six-three ruling, the Supreme Court held that the order was unlawful and violated the citizenship clause of the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution.

Trump’s latest orders include a provision expanding the existing definitions of non-citizens.

The draft guidance states that the State Department would require parental information and evidence of parental citizenship or immigration status when determining whether a passport applicant is subject to the executive order.

If implemented, parents or legal guardians applying for passports for their children would have to provide evidence of US citizenship, such as a valid American passport or birth certificate, or proof of immigration status, including an I-94 form or permanent residency card.

The information would be used to determine whether the child qualifies for US citizenship under the new order.

Currently, parents of children born in the United States generally only need to establish their relationship to the child and provide photo identification during the passport application process.

They are also required to indicate on the application whether they are US citizens, but are not ordinarily required to submit supporting documentation of that status.

The proposal is part of Trump’s broader immigration agenda and his renewed effort to restrict birthright citizenship, which remains a major focus of his administration’s immigration policies.