The US State Department has proposed a rule that could mandate parents to provide proof of their own citizenship or immigration status when applying for their children's passports. This directive aims to enforce President Donald Trump's August 6 executive order targeting birth tourism.

New Passport Requirements

The draft guidance provides the first detailed insight into how the State Department might enforce the executive order, according to Reuters. The proposed directive could deny citizenship to children whose parents are foreign government employees in the US, have engaged in fraudulent activities or commercial transactions to obtain citizenship, or are classified as alien enemies.

Under the new proposal, parents or legal guardians applying for their children's passports must submit documentation proving US citizenship or lawful immigration status. Currently, parents applying for a US-born child's passport must provide evidence of the child's US citizenship, proof of their relationship to the child, and government-issued photo ID. They generally are not required to submit separate documentation proving their own status.

"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," the publication reported, citing draft State Department guidance that references the executive order.

Political Context

This proposal follows Trump's renewed push to restrict birth tourism and birthright citizenship through executive orders in early August. This came after the Supreme Court ruled on June 30 that Trump's earlier, broader attempt to restrict birthright citizenship was unconstitutional.

The order also addresses births in US territories where citizenship is not conferred by federal statute, potentially opening another front in the administration's effort to restrict birthright citizenship. Earlier in July, Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered an investigation into allegations of birth tourism at Mission Regional Medical Center. The hospital was accused of marketing birth packages in South Texas to foreign nationals.

The State Department did not immediately respond to Benzinga's request for comments.

Billionaire investor Mark Cuban challenged Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on Tuesday to support a bipartisan bill aimed at breaking up healthcare conglomerates, warning that inaction accepts that people die due to unaffordable care.

Cuban linked the healthcare debate to the broader fiscal crisis, noting the U.S. national debt stands at $40.2 trillion, having crossed $40 trillion in August. This level equates to roughly $116,486 per citizen.

Clash Over Taxes and Deficit

Cuban argued for eliminating tax loopholes and raising taxes on top earners to pre-2017 levels, stating the wealthy should "pay taxes on what you earn." He directed Cruz to examine the deficit and the interest paid "every minute of every day."

Cruz responded by accusing Cuban of contradiction, citing his support for Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico. Cruz credited Trump-era tax cuts with achieving pre-pandemic low unemployment, arguing that taxes change behavior.

The Congressional Budget Office projects federal debt will rise from 101% of GDP this year to 120% by 2036. Annual interest costs are projected to more than double to $2.1 trillion over the same period.

Break Up Big Medicine

Cuban’s campaign with Talarico centers on the bipartisan "Break Up Big Medicine" bill from Sens. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). The legislation prohibits companies from owning both a health insurer and a pharmacy benefit manager.

Regulators would be empowered to force violators to sell assets or divest profits if they fail to comply. Cuban claimed the bill would cut the deficit and cause drug prices to "drop like a rock."

Talarico is running against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the 2026 Senate race.

What the Numbers Show

The scale of the national debt relative to per-capita liability highlights the magnitude of the fiscal pressure Cuban cites. With the total debt at $40.2 trillion and the per-citizen share at $116,486, the data underscores the high baseline cost burden against which Cuban argues for revenue increases through tax reforms and healthcare restructuring.