Immigration Reform News: Texas Can Still Deny Birth Certificates To Children Of Undocumented Immigrants

U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman has ruled that Texas may continue to deny birth certificates to children born in the U.S. to undocumented immigrants, they’ve been denied the official document for their children since 2013.

Pitman called the arguments of the families “heartfelt, compelling and persuasive,” but said that this was “not enough without substantiating evidence to carry the burden necessary to grant relief,” according to the ruling. "In summary, although the Plaintiffs have provided evidence which raises grave concerns regarding the treatment of citizen children born to immigrant parents," the judge ruled, "this case requires additional determinations which can be made only upon development and presentation of an evidential record which thoroughly explores the facts and circumstances of the issues raised in this case."

Since many undocumented immigrants do not have legal identification documents, in the past they have been able to show two secondary forms of identification to obtain their child’s birth certificate from the DSHS. One of those documents is a Mexican matrícula consular identification card. But Texas county registers will change that policy as of June 1, the Dallas County clerk’s office announced on its website that "its county registrars will no longer accept the Mexican Matrícula Consular Card as verification of identity for purchase of birth certificates or for obtaining confidential records.”

Without birth certificates, it’s difficult for families to enroll their children in other programs, like Medicaid or day care, or even get baptized.