US State Department to Revoke Passports of Parents Owing $2,500+ in Child Support

State Department Cracks Down on Delinquent Child Support Payments

The U.S. State Department has announced a new policy to revoke passports for Americans who owe more than $2,500 in outstanding child support payments. The enforcement, which begins on Friday, May 8, marks a significant shift in how the government addresses unpaid child support obligations.

Initial Enforcement Targets Highest Debtors

According to reports from the Associated Press, the State Department will first focus on parents who owe $100,000 or more in unpaid child support. This initial phase is expected to impact approximately 2,700 individuals. However, the policy will soon expand to include anyone owing $2,500 or more, covering a much broader group of passport holders.

Legal Basis for Passport Revocation

The authority to revoke passports stems from the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, which introduced penalties for child support debt holders. While the law has historically been used to block passport renewals, the State Department now plans to proactively enforce the penalty by identifying violations rather than waiting for renewal requests.

The law states that the State Department “may revoke, restrict, or limit a passport issued previously” to individuals who owe more than $5,000 in child support. This threshold was later lowered to $2,500. Under the new policy, the department will actively seek out and penalize violations.

Eligibility for Future Passports

Individuals whose passports are revoked under this policy may regain eligibility in the future, but only after:

• Paying all outstanding child support debt, and
• Having their record cleared with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The government has urged individuals with child support debt to settle their obligations immediately to avoid passport revocation, though no specific deadline has been provided.

Government Urges Immediate Action

On its website, the State Department advises individuals with child support debt to resolve their obligations with the relevant enforcement agency to “prevent passport revocation.” The agency has not provided additional details regarding the enforcement timeline or process.

Background and Potential Motivations

The Trump administration has not publicly explained the reasoning behind its stricter interpretation of the 1996 law. However, the policy aligns with the administration’s broader approach to immigration enforcement. In March 2020, ProPublica reported that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) sought access to the Federal Parent Locator Service, a government database used by HHS to identify individuals with outstanding child support debt. This database contains detailed information about children in the U.S., their family members, and their custodial arrangements.

“Under President Trump, the Department of State is using commonsense tools to support American families and strengthen compliance with U.S. laws. This includes preventing those who owe substantial amounts of court-ordered child support from neglecting their legal and moral obligations to their children.”

What’s Next for Affected Individuals?

The State Department has not yet released a full timeline for the enforcement of this policy. However, individuals with child support debt are encouraged to take immediate action to avoid potential passport revocation. The department has declined to provide further details in response to inquiries from Fast Company.