Trump Administration to Revoke Passports of Parents Owing $100K+ in Child Support

The U.S. State Department is set to revoke passports from parents who owe more than $100,000 in unpaid child support, with the first revocations potentially beginning as early as this Friday. The Associated Press first reported the plan in February.

Initially, the policy will target about 2,700 passport holders who meet the $100,000 threshold. However, the department plans to expand the program in the future to include those who owe as little as $2,500 in child support payments. This expansion could increase the number of affected individuals by thousands.

The new policy builds on an existing rule that only applied to passport renewals. Now, the Department of Health and Human Services will notify the State Department of all past-due child support payments exceeding $2,500. Individuals in this category will have their passports revoked immediately.

"We are expanding a commonsense practice that has been proven effective at getting those who owe child support to pay their debt. Once these parents resolve their debts, they can once again enjoy the privilege of a U.S. passport."

— Mora Namdar, Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs

Those who lose their passports under the program will receive notification that they are prohibited from traveling overseas. To regain their passport, they must settle their debt and submit a new application. Americans currently abroad when their passport is revoked will need to obtain an emergency travel document from a U.S. embassy or consulate.

In February, after the AP first reported on the planned program, the State Department stated that hundreds of parents had resolved their child support arrears following the announcement. The department noted, "While we can’t confirm the causation in all of those cases, we are taking this action precisely to impel these parents to do the right thing by their children and by U.S. law."

The program aims to benefit families owed child support, but it also aligns with President Trump’s proposed voter ID law, the SAVE Act. This bill seeks to require more stringent forms of identification, such as passports and birth certificates, at polling places. Currently, the SAVE Act remains stalled in Congress. If passed, many Americans who owe child support could face additional barriers to voting.