Denied a Passport, US-Born Man Asks to be Declared a Citizen

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- A Minnesota man and military veteran whose request for a passport was denied twice is now asking a federal court to declare that he is a U.S. citizen.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota has filed a complaint seeking declaratory relief for Mark Esqueda.

The complaint says Esqueda was born in Texas in 1988 and spent most of his childhood in Minnesota. He joined the U.S. Marines and served in Iraq and Afghanistan. The ACLU says he held a military clearance level of "secret," which is only given to U.S. citizens.

Esqueda applied for a passport in 2012 and was denied. He provided more information and applied again in 2015, and was also rejected. The complaint says the State Department has demanded information that's burdensome and unnecessary.

The State Department didn't immediately reply to a message seeking comment.