Fathers sue the State Department for denying citizenship to ONE of their toddler twin sons

A married couple whose twins share the same egg donor but have different fathers have filed a lawsuit against the federal government alleging that the U.S. State Department is discriminating against them by denying birthright citizenship to one of their sons.

via Daily Mail

One twin, Aiden, has the DNA of Los Angeles native Andrew Dvash-Banks and the other, Ethan, has the DNA of Andrew’s husband Israeli-born Elad.

Ethan has now become a plaintiff at just 16 months old in a federal lawsuit against the U.S. State Department that seeks the same rights his brother has as an American citizen.

‘What we’re trying to do is pursue justice for Ethan,’ said Elad, his biological dad, ‘and correct a wrong that the State Department is continuing to pursue that might affect other couples’.

Andrew added: ‘These are twins, how can you differentiate between them? They were born minutes apart.’

The case filed by Immigration Equality said the children of a U.S. citizen who marries abroad are entitled to U.S. citizenship at birth no matter where they are born and even if the other parent is a foreigner.

The State Department said it doesn’t comment on pending litigation, but pointed to guidance on its website that says there must be a biological connection to a U.S. citizen to become a citizen at birth.

Image via AP