In a move that could raise concerns among thousands of Indians working in the US, the State Department has proposed requiring parents applying for passports for their children to provide proof of their own citizenship or immigration status.The proposal is a formal follow-up to President Donald Trump’s August 6 executive order aimed at restricting birthright citizenship.Reuters reported that it had the first detailed look at how the State Department could implement Trump’s executive order, which targets what the administration calls “birth tourism” and seeks to broaden exceptions to birthright citizenship.Under the draft guidance, parents applying for US passports for their children would be required to prove their own citizenship or immigration status through documents such as a passport, birth certificate, I-94 form or green card.The proposed rule could deny citizenship to US-born children whose parents are employees of another country posted in the US, obtained status through fraud or commercial arrangements, or are classified as “alien enemies”.Currently, parents of US-born children only need to prove parentage and provide photo ID to indicate citizenship without submitting supporting documents. The State Department’s proposal would significantly change that process.Indians are among the largest immigrant groups in the US, with substantial numbers on H-1B or student visas or those waiting in lengthy employment-based green card backlogs.At present, children born in the US to parents on work visas automatically acquire US citizenship. Under the proposed rule, however, parents would have to document their own immigration status when applying for a passport for such a child. A child’s citizenship determination could then depend on the status of the parents, rather than solely on the fact of birth on US soil.The proposal has not yet been finalised and is currently facing legal challenges.Reuters quoted State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott as saying: “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.”Under the draft proposal, the State Department would require parental information and proof of parental citizenship or immigration status as part of its assessment of a child’s eligibility for citizenship.Restricting birthright citizenship has been one of Trump’s key immigration priorities. The US Supreme Court ruled his previous attempt violated the country’s Constitution.Trump’s initial executive order would have limited automatic citizenship at birth to children with at least one parent who is either a US citizen or a lawful permanent resident, commonly known as a green card holder.The Supreme Court found the order unlawful, with the majority holding that it violated the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution.