State Dept could pull passports from parents who owe child support

The Trump administration is reportedly set to step up enforcement of laws that revoke passports of parents who owe a significant amount of money in child support.

Three US officials familiar with the plans told the Associated Press that the State Department would soon be revoking passports of such individuals using data from the Department of Health and Human Services. Under federal legislation from 1996, passport revocations are allowed for unpaid child support in excess of $2,500, however, the State Department previously acted only when a person applied to renew or sought other consular services.

The number of those who could be affected is believed to be in the thousands. The officials said that due to the large number of people affected, the action would be rolled out in tiers, with the first tier being those who owe more than $100,000. One of the officials said this tier would amount to less than 500 people, and that those affected could avoid passport revocation by entering into a payment plan with HHS.

The State Department told the outlet that it is "reviewing options to enforce long-standing law to prevent those owing substantial amounts of child support from neglecting their legal and moral obligations to their children." The Department added, "It is simple: deadbeat parents need to pay their child support arrears."

Since the Passport Denial Program began under the 1996 legislation, the Office of Child Support Enforcement at the Department of Health and Human Services said that around $621 million in past-due child support payments have been made, including nine payments of over $300,000.