MINNEAPOLIS — A Minnesota man and military veteran whose request for a passport was denied twice is now asking a federal court to declare that he is a U.S. citizen.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota has filed a complaint seeking declaratory relief for Mark Esqueda.

The complaint says Esqueda was born in Texas in 1988 and spent most of his childhood in Minnesota. He joined the U.S. Marines and served in Iraq and Afghanistan. The ACLU says he held a military clearance level of “secret,” which is only given to U.S. citizens.