The Donald Trump administration is considering a new passport requirement that would make parents in the US provide proof of their own citizenship or immigration status when applying for passports for their children, according to a Reuters report.
The proposed move is part of Trump's wider push to restrict birthright citizenship and follows his August 6 executive order aimed at what the administration describes as "birth tourism" and certain historical exceptions to automatic citizenship.
"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," State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott told Reuters.
What would parents need to submit?
At present, parents applying for a passport for a US-born child have to establish their relationship with the child and provide government-issued photo identification. While passport forms ask about the parents' citizenship status, they are not generally required to submit documents proving their immigration status.
The State department's draft guidance proposes changing that. It says, "The department will require parental information and evidence of parental citizenship or immigration status as part of its determination whether the applicant is subject to EO 14418," referring to the executive order.
Under the proposed system, parents or legal guardians would need to provide documents such as a US passport or birth certificate to establish citizenship. Those proving immigration status could submit documents including an I-94 form or permanent residency card.
Proposal comes amid legal challenge
The information would help the government determine whether a child meets the citizenship requirements outlined in Trump's order.
The administration's directive seeks to deny citizenship in certain cases, including children whose parents are working for a foreign government in the US, involved in fraud or a commercial transaction to obtain citizenship, or classified as an "alien enemy".
The proposal comes as Trump's birthright citizenship policy faces challenges in federal court. Lawyers representing babies who could lose citizenship under the order have filed class-action lawsuits seeking to stop it.
One case is before US District Judge Deborah Boardman in Maryland. During a Friday hearing, Boardman expressed doubts about the unprecedented nature of Trump's order and allowed the plaintiffs to revise their lawsuit as she considers whether to block it.
Trump's push to change birthright citizenship
Restricting birthright citizenship has remained a major part of Trump's immigration agenda. His earlier executive order sought to grant citizenship at birth only when at least one parent was a US citizen or lawful permanent resident.
The US Supreme Court later ruled the order unlawful in a 6-3 decision, with the majority finding that it conflicted with the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment.