How to Hide Your Baby From the Government
An online movement is encouraging parents in the US to avoid registering their children’s births, claiming this keeps them outside government authority. Influencers sell guidance on obtaining passports through alternative routes, turning long-standing sovereign citizen beliefs into a social media business.
One provider, LaHargoue, says she has helped more than 1,000 parents and charges $497 for videos and templates or $997 for personal guidance. Another influencer sells bundles for up to $555, while LaHargoue offers affiliates 15 to 20 per cent commission. The number of affected children is unknown, but a New York family law attorney says cases involving children without formal identification have risen from about one a year to six annually.
In short
- Influencers sell services for parents seeking alternative documents for children.
- One provider says she has helped more than 1,000 families.
- A lawyer reports cases have risen to around six a year.
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The case for
Parents who favour avoiding birth registration may see it as a way to protect family autonomy and limit the state’s collection of personal information. They may distrust government institutions and argue that parents should have greater control over decisions about their children’s identity and official records.
The case against
Birth registration gives children a recognised legal identity and helps them access services, establish parentage and travel under standard procedures. Critics argue that keeping children outside formal records can make it harder to secure those protections, while selling costly guidance based on claims about avoiding government authority may mislead families.
Explained simply
In the US, a birth certificate is the official record that a child has been born and usually helps establish their identity and legal parentage. Parents use it to obtain documents such as a Social Security number and passport, and to enrol children in school or access services.
The movement described draws on sovereign citizen beliefs, which claim that people can reject government authority through special legal notices or procedures. US courts and government agencies do not generally recognise these claims as a way to opt out of laws or official requirements.
Children without standard identity documents may face difficulties proving who they are or accessing services, while parents may encounter legal and practical problems. The online advice is sold by influencers, but the number of families following it is not known.