Recently, the Department of State announced that it will be revoking passports in the U.S. for those with significant child support debt. On paper, this sounds like something many people would get on board with. But one Florida woman is upset with the news and explains her reasons why in a viral TikTok video.
Monique (@blackbeltbabe) shared a video explaining the new laws implemented to target those owing child support. On the U.S. Department of State’s website, they are saying they will “revoke the passport of an individual who owes more than $2,500 in child support.” According to them, it’s a way to “support the welfare of American children” and “exact real consequences” for not paying support. Monique says that this, in itself, can be incredibly problematic.
At first, Monique said that she thought the rule sounded good because people need to pay their support. But then, she said she “got to thinking.” She goes on to say, “It’s child support today, it’ll be something else tomorrow.” Monique said she understands owing a debt because she still owes over $60,000 in student loan debt. She said she can’t imagine somebody telling her she can’t travel to another country because she didn’t pay off her student loan debt. She uses this as a comparison to show why she thinks the child support law may not be the best thing. Because Monique says “education is a human right,” she doesn’t think it’s fair that the government could exact this kind of control in the future if they wanted.
Monique explains that she believes they’re “doing it for child support as kind of a litmus test to see if we’re gonna be okay with that.” She says that people are automatically going to agree that people need to take care of their kids before they travel. But she thinks something nefarious is brewing and that they’re trying to challenge us. She thinks the government is trying to discover “what we won’t fight back against” so they can implement further laws. As she says, “Child support today, student loan debt tomorrow, medical debt the next day.”
This video immediately went viral, sparking a variety of reactions from concerned Americans. Viewers were critical of the new laws, questioning what this would lead to. One commenter questioned, “What’s next?” And though some commenters agree with the new laws, others have questions. One person asked, “Literally my first thought like why are we revoking a passport?!?! Especially when you can do things like garnish wages why are we revoking the right to travel?” Another commenter replied to this, “They do garnish wages but when that non-custodial parent goes rogue or under the table there is NOTHING to garnish. Ask me how I know.”
Commenters continue to share their divisive opinions on the matter. One commenter mentioned, “In my country, a passport is a human right like literally it’s the first official document a person gets right after birth.” Many are confused by these new laws and wondering if there is more to come.
