UPDATE: When I wrote below that I wouldn’t get my hackles all up until this story sorted out, I figured that would take the usual 24-48 hours. Instead, it took maybe 30 minutes.
Correction: Experts who have looked at new USCIS policy say it applies if a service member adopts a child overseas, but children born to service members on deployment would still automatically get citizenship. I deleted tweets with the incorrect info. https://t.co/xeu8I3zrkJ
— Ken Dilanian (@KenDilanianNBC) August 28, 2019
Adoption always involves craploads of paperwork, and when you add in the overseas angle, plus our ongoing “migrant” crisis, this only makes sense.
But don’t you worry: By this time tomorrow, some sharp NBC reporter will reveal Trump’s secret plan to nuke Greenland.
(The original item follows below.)
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) just issued a new policy guidance stating that the federal government “no longer considers children of U.S. government employees and U.S. armed forces members residing outside the United States as ‘residing in the United States’ for purposes of acquiring citizenship.” The new policy statement also “clarifies” that “temporary visits to the United States do not establish U.S. residence.”
USCIS confirms: As of October 29, children born to U.S. service members outside of the U.S. will no longer be automatically considered citizens.
Their parents will have to apply for citizenship on their behalf. https://t.co/beDHdMgqSM
— Haley Britzky (@halbritz) August 28, 2019
Full details here, courtesy of USCIS.
Both my brothers-in-law were born overseas, on or near U.S. Air Force bases in Europe. Their father was a combat veteran of Vietnam, where he flew F-4s, which sometimes came back with holes punched in them. He went on to serve several combat-ready tours in the NATO area flying F-4s and F-16s during the ’70s and ’80s.
I can’t imagine making him or my mother-in-law jump through legal hoops to make sure their sons were citizens, but apparently that’s going to be the case going forward.
https://twitter.com/QuinHillyer/status/1166803392062263297
I’m going to wait until this all gets sorted out before getting my hackles fully up, but my initial reaction can be briefly summed up as: Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, Over?
Is this a tremendous self-own by the Trump administration? A Deep State maneuver meant to embarrass POTUS? Or just a stupid, extra bit of paperwork for our military and diplomatic personnel?
Hash it out in the comments while I look a little deeper into it.
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