The Administration for the Sustenance of Minors (ASUME) announced that the federal government has initiated a new phase of a process that allows for the restriction or revocation of US passports for individuals with significant child support debt. According to ASUME Administrator María del Mar Mateu Meléndez, as of July 27, the fourth phase of the federal mechanism has reduced the minimum balance required to activate this measure to $40,000 or more.
This phase also includes individuals with two or more cases with combined debt reaching this amount. Mateu Meléndez urged individuals with pending balances to contact ASUME to explore alternatives, as the process may continue to expand until it reaches the federal minimum limit of $2,500 or more. The measure is developed through coordination between the US Department of State, the federal Department of Health and Human Services, and the Office of Child Support Enforcement, under Section 452(k) of the federal Social Security Act.
ASUME noted that making a payment does not immediately restore a passport, as the case must undergo a validation process between agencies, which can take several weeks.