Orange County teen carrying his birth certificate to prove citizenship
As immigration operations continue, some are taking additional steps to prepare for unexpected encounters with federal agents.
"With everything happening in our community, there was definitely that sense of, 'Am I safe? I'm a citizen. Am I OK? How can I prove that?" Santa Ana community advocate Maria Corona said.
Corona helped a 15-year-old get his original birth certificate after immigration agents detained his father. The teen worried that he needed proof of citizenship if he was ever taken into custody like his dad.
"He had a photocopy of his birth certificate," Corona said. "It was just a copy of a copy. He just needed an original copy of the document just to have on his person. Just something that identified him as a citizen, but what he had in his hand wasn't an official document."
Immigration attorney Mike Husain said that while citizens are not legally required to carry documentation, he recommends it to his clients.
"You don't have to have proof of U.S. citizenship on you if you are walking around," Husain said. "You're not required to carry your American passport but to make it easier for everybody and for yourself, instead of having to argue with an arresting officer from law enforcement, it's advisable to carry some proof of your citizenship to avoid the confrontation and argument."
Santa Ana Congressman Lou Correa's office said residents can use their Real ID, an original birth certificate, a U.S. passport or a U.S. passport card as proof of citizenship.
Husain recommended that naturalized citizens carry their certificate of naturalization.
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