The US 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 The draft guidance, reviewed by The White House, reflects ongoing administrative measures to restrict automatic citizenship.

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 US Supreme Court previously ruled his previous attempt violated the country's Constitution. Trump's initial executive order would have granted automatic US citizenship at birth only to children with at least one parent who was a US citizen or a lawful permanent resident known as a green card holder.

If implemented, the proposal would require all parents or legal guardians to provide proof of their citizenship, such as a valid US passport or birth certificate, or evidence of their immigration status when submitting a passport application for their children. Legal challenges against the directive are currently ongoing in federal courts.