National park staff are asking about citizenship status. Here's why

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If you’re planning to visit one of the 11 most popular national parks in the U.S.— two of which are in California — staff might ask a question that could be disquieting: Are you an American citizen?A spokesperson for the Department of the Interior said that the question is being posed only to confirm whether the visitor will have to pay a nonresident fee — which is hefty.The updates to visitor verification and fees was announced in November by the Trump administration, which said that beginning Jan.

1 it would implement “America-first” entry fee policies.“U.S.residents will continue to enjoy affordable pricing, while nonresidents will pay a higher rate to help support the care and maintenance of America’s parks,” according to the announcement.

When you present your pass, or if you purchase one at a park entrance, staff must ask for your identification and determine your citizenship status.According to an internal National Park Service directive obtained by the Washington Post, staffers are instructed to ask visiting groups, “How many people visiting are not U.S.citizens or residents?” The document also stated that “the fee collector does not need to check the identification of every visitor.” The Times reached out to staff at Yosemite and Sequoia & Kings Canyon national parks for comment; both parks referred questions to the National Park Service.

You will only be asked your citizenship status, by way of ID verification, when buying or using an annual pass, officials say.“National Park Service staff are not checking immigration status, citizenship, or residency beyond what is necessary to confirm eligibility for a specific entrance fee or pass,” said Elizabeth Peace, spokesperson for the office of the secretary of the U.S.Department of the Interior.

Peace told The Times in an email that the Park Service had “long required staff to confirm th...