The State Department will now grant U.S. citizenship to children born abroad through in vitro fertilization, surrogacy and other assisted reproductive technologies, the agency said Tuesday.
Why it matters: The Trump administration had denied citizenship to children born abroad to same-sex parents in several cases.
Context: The State Department under Trump defended a long-standing policy that categorized children born abroad via surrogate as "out of wedlock" even when a couple was married.
- Several same-sex couples sued the agency for their children's citizenship, but the State Department continued to enforce the policy.
Driving the news: As of Tuesday, the State Department has notified all U.S. diplomatic posts to grant citizenship to children if their parents are married, among other requirements. The child must also have a genetic or gestational tie to one parent.
- The change is retroactive, which will allow couples to reapply.
What they're saying: The new policy "is going to allow an increased number of married couples, who are using ART [assisted reproductive technology], to transmit citizenship to their children — and we are excited about that," a State Department official told ABC News, calling it a "recognition of the realities of modern family."