How to Hide Your Baby From the Government
“Sovereign citizens” think they can live beyond the reach of the state. Now the movement has influencers—and they’re selling all sorts of anarchist courses to expectant families.
Influencers are promoting a new trend among parents: raising children without registering their births or obtaining government-issued identification. LaHargoue, an influencer with a "sovereign baby" concierge service, claims that her children, born in the United States, travel without birth certificates or Social Security numbers.
This practice aligns with the sovereign citizen movement, a group of anti-government activists who believe they are not subject to US laws. LaHargoue sells a package for $497 that provides instructions on obtaining passports for children based on "nationality" rather than "citizenship," and a more comprehensive $997 package for personalized guidance.
With a growing number of influencers offering similar services, the movement has expanded beyond traditional anti-government activism to include alternative methods of child identification and education. Family law attorney Adam Bojak has observed an increase in cases involving sovereign children in recent years, a trend he attributes to the social and emotional disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The rise of homeschooling and "world schooling" may also contribute to this phenomenon, as some parents reject conventional education systems and seek alternative ways to raise their children.
Written by urgent.news from Wired's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
