1. United States
2. Md.
3. Letter

Oppose Executive Order Requiring Banks to Collect Citizenship Information I am writing to urge you to oppose any executive order or legislation that would require banks to collect citizenship information from customers as a condition of maintaining banking services. This policy represents dangerous government overreach that would particularly harm survivors of domestic violence. According to Teal Inzunza, associate vice president of justice initiatives at the Urban Resource Institute in New York, up to 99 percent of intimate partner violence survivors experience financial abuse, which often includes withholding documentation such as IDs, passports, and immigration information as a form of power and control. Requiring banks to confirm citizenship would add another layer of difficulty for survivors to access a necessary part of our economy and make getting a bank account nearly impossible for many of them. Victims often need to flee quickly with very little. Requiring documents to prove legal status could mean dangerous attempts to retrieve them from abusers or paying large sums for replacements. Access to an independent bank account is crucial for survivors planning to leave abusive situations because they need proof of income to secure housing, demonstrate financial capability for custody arrangements, provide banking information to employers, and safely save money away from their abuser. The environment has already become more dangerous for immigrant survivors. A spring 2025 survey by The Alliance for Immigrant Survivors of over 170 advocates and attorneys found that more than three in four advocates reported immigrant survivors have concerns about contacting police. The Marshall Project noted that several domestic violence victims were killed by their abusers last summer after reportedly not reaching out to law enforcement due to deportation fears. This policy would affect not only undocumented individuals but also those legally in the country who are not citizens, as well as citizens without immediate access to documentation. Senator Tom Cotton has announced plans to introduce legislation on this issue, making congressional action critical. I urge you to publicly oppose this executive order and vote against any related legislation. Survivors of domestic violence deserve pathways to safety, not additional barriers that could trap them with their abusers.