MCALLEN, TEXAS (AP) -- Citizens delivered by midwives along the U.S.-Mexico border will get to reapply for passports for free under a tentative settlement with the State Department over stalled applications.
U.S. District Judge Randy Crane gave preliminary agreement Wednesday to the settlement. He also gave the lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union and an immigration attorney preliminary class action status.
Hundreds of citizens along the U.S.-Mexico border were not able to get passports because some Texas midwives registered Mexican births in the United States.
The government has agreed under the settlement to no longer leave cases in limbo without an approval or a denial.
Crane scheduled a hearing to allow public objections to the settlement for Aug. 14.
(Copyright ©2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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