Trump’s birthright curbs may prompt US passport checks on parents

The US State Department has proposed new requirements for parents applying for passports for their children, in an effort to limit birthright citizenship, as part of President Donald Trump's broader immigration crackdown. The draft guidance, obtained by Reuters, outlines how the state department could enforce President Trump's August 6 executive order targeting "birth tourism" and expanding historical exceptions to birthright citizenship. The White House has referred questions regarding the proposal to the State Department.

In a statement, State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott emphasized that President Trump is committed to protecting the meaning and value of American citizenship and ensuring that the passport adjudication process fully reflects this standard. The proposed measures come after the US Supreme Court previously ruled that Trump's attempt to grant automatic US citizenship to children born to parents meeting specific criteria was unlawful.

The new directive would require parents or legal guardians to provide proof of their citizenship or immigration status when applying for passports for their children. This information would be used to determine if the child qualifies for citizenship under the new order. Currently, parents only need to prove their parentage and provide photo identification when applying for passports for their children.

Lawyers representing babies who would be deprived of citizenship under the initial order have sought court intervention to prevent the implementation of the latest proposal. One of these lawsuits is currently before US District Judge Deborah Boardman, who was appointed by Democratic President Joe Biden. During a recent hearing, Boardman expressed skepticism about the proposal and granted the plaintiffs permission to revise their lawsuit to consider whether to block it.