Denying passports helps secure back child support

From http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070815/news_1n15passport.html

'WASHINGTON – The price of a passport: $311,491 in back child support payments for a U.S. businessman now living in China; $46,000 for a musician seeking to perform overseas, and $45,849 for a man planning a Dominican Republic vacation.

The new passport requirements that have complicated travel this summer also have uncovered untold numbers of child support scofflaws and forced them to pay millions. The State Department denies passports to noncustodial parents who owe more than $2,500 in child support. Once the parents make good on their debts, they can reapply for passports."

I'm not totally sure how I feel about this. I'm all for collecting child support; I'm back to my original statement that it certainly at times seems to be unconstitutional the level that is reached. Passports are intended to show citizenship. Will they be denied for other collection purposes later?

The amounts listed above are outrageous!