Bipartisan Immigration Bill Passes Senate

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Senate unanimously passed a bill Thursday that would ensure U.S. citizenship for all children of U.S. service members while stationed abroad.

The Citizenship for Children of Military Members & Civil Servants Act, introduced in the Senate by Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois) and former Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Georgia) and co-sponsored by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), would modernize immigration law to automatically grant U.S. citizenship to children born abroad whose parents are U.S. service members. The Senate passed the House version of the bill — originally introduced by Reps. Jerry Nadler (D-New York) and Doug Collins (R-Georgia) — which now goes to the president’s desk.

Last year, the Trump administration changed the citizenship process for some children of U.S. service members abroad, creating a more cumbersome process that required some American families to apply for citizenship on their child’s behalf.  

“Those who dedicate their lives to the service of our nation should not have to navigate a complex, bureaucratic process just to ensure their children are Americans,” said Ali Noorani, Executive Director, National Immigration Forum. “We are grateful to Sens. Duckworth and Graham, as well as Reps. Nadler and Collins, for leading this bipartisan effort to address outdated immigration policies and advance solutions for those who serve our country.”