U.S. may ask parents to prove citizenship or immigration status to get passports for children

The U.S. State Department has proposed requiring parents applying for passports for their ​children to provide proof of their own citizenship or immigration status as part of President Donald Trump’s latest effort to limit birthright ‌citizenship.

The U.S. State Department has proposed requiring parents applying for passports for their ​children to provide proof of their own citizenship or immigration status as part of President Donald Trump’s latest effort to limit birthright ‌citizenship.

The draft guidance, reviewed by Reuters, is the first detailed look at how the State Department could enforce Trump’s August 6 executive order targeting what it calls “birth tourism” and broadening historical exceptions to birthright citizenship.

The White House referred Reuters questions to the State Department. In a statement, State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said that “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.”

Limiting birthright citizenship has been one of the president’s top priorities in his far-reaching crackdown on immigration. The ⁠U.S. Supreme Court ruled his previous attempt violated the country’s Constitution.

Trump’s initial executive order would have granted automatic U.S. citizenship at birth only to children ​with at least one parent who was a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident known as a green card holder.