Immigration changes hit US servicemembers

New immigration policy withholds automatic citizenship for some children of troops overseas, but not all

Military Times
By: Meghann Myers
August 28, 2019

“This country cannot place them in harm’s way and then punish their children and families by requiring them to undertake a years-long adjudication from an agency that is already over-tasked.” Shaun May of the Federal Practice Groups

The agency in charge of approving U.S. citizenship has updated its definition of residence as it relates to eligibility to become a citizen, according to a policy memo released Wednesday.

A change in immigration policy withholds automatic citizenship for some children of troops overseas. The new policy does not affect children born to U.S. citizens serving abroad. Those children are still entitled to automatic citizenship.. (MC3 A.J. Jones/Navy)

It might affect the foreign-born children of some service members when it takes effect on Oct. 29.

Children born to — or adopted by — some U.S. service members overseas are no longer automatically considered U.S. residents or entitled to U.S. citizenship, according to the policy.

“This policy update does not affect anyone who is born a U.S. citizen, period," Ken Cuccinelli, acting director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigrant Services, said in a statement.

“This only affects children who were born outside the United States and were not U.S. citizens.”
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