united-states finance politics
How is a US political campaign supposed to verify that donors from abroad are US citizens?
<p>According the US laws, only US citizens may contribute financially to political campaigns - especially presidential campaigns.</p>

<p>Suppose you are running a campaign. How are you supposed to verify that donations from around the world are actually from US citizens?</p>

<p>For example, take a look at Pete Buttigeg's page. He accepts donations from every country on Earth. <a href="https://secure.actblue.com/donate/pete-buttigieg-announcement-day" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://secure.actblue.com/donate/pete-buttigieg-announcement-day</a> How can he be sure that they are actually from Americans?</p>

<p>(The question applies to donations from within the US too. There can be non-citizens in the US with US credit cards and addresses. How does a candidate ensure that they are actually citizens? To what extent is this required?)</p>

<p>See <a href="https://www.fec.gov/help-candidates-and-committees/candidate-taking-receipts/who-can-and-cant-contribute/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.fec.gov/help-candidates-and-committees/candidate-taking-receipts/who-can-and-cant-contribute/</a>, the section on "Foreign Nationals".</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>The Commission stated, in AO 1998-14, that the use of any surname on a
  contribution check (or similar instrument) would not, by itself, give
  any reason to inquire as to the person’s nationality. Nonetheless, the
  Commission advised the committee to take the following minimally
  intrusive steps to ensure that the contributions it received did not
  come from foreign nationals:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>Ensure that public political ads and solicitations directed to audiences outside the U.S. contain a summary of the foreign national
  prohibition of 52 U.S.C. § 30121.</li>
  <li>Make further inquiry into the nationality of the contributor if the committee receives a contribution postmarked from any non U.S.
  territory.</li>
  <li>Make further inquiry into the nationality of the contributor if the committee receives a contribution indicating that either the bank
  or the account owner has a foreign address.</li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>In all of the these instances, if the contribution is submitted along
  with credible evidence (for example, a copy of a valid U.S. passport)
  that the contributor is a U.S. citizen, a U.S. national or a permanent
  resident alien, no further inquiry need be made. However, if the
  committee has actual knowledge that the contributor is in fact a
  foreign national, it may not rely on these documents as a defense.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>So, if the donor has been informed of the rules and gives a US address, the campaign can assume that they are eligible to donate, unless the campaign has actual knowledge that they aren't.  If they give a non-US address, the campaign is supposed to get some other proof of nationality.</p>

<p>By the way, that page also explains that the first part of your question is slightly wrong.  It isn't <em>only</em> US citizens who are allowed to donate - US nationals (a rather rare category consisting mostly of people from certain US territories) and permanent residents are also eligible.</p>
