Report: Thousands stuck in passport limbo

PORTLAND, Ore., Oct. 6 (UPI) -- A lawsuit alleges thousands of U.S. citizens are being denied passports because they were born in Southwestern states with the aid of a midwife.

The citizens, all of Mexican descent, have been denied passports because the government doubts whether they were born in the United States, The (Portland) Oregonian reported Monday.

The doubt stems from past cases of birth-certificates forged by midwives for Mexican-born children, the Oregonian reported.

In a class-action lawsuit filed by the ACLU, nine U.S. citizens are suing the State Department for allegedly reducing them to "second-class citizenship status."

The lawsuit alleges the government asks for an excessive number of documents of proof of birth and then often files passport applications "without further action" or essentially closed.

"I am very disappointed with my government's dismissive attitude towards me, my birthright, my family and my race," said Victoria Conover of Silver Lake, Ore. a plaintiff in the lawsuit.