- President Trump issued an executive order on August 6 that defines birth tourism as the entry of a foreign national on a non-immigrant visa for the purpose of giving birth on American soil.
- The State Department has established a Birth Tourism Prevention Task Force to identify visa holders who traveled to the United States to give birth and those who facilitated such travel.
- As part of the crackdown, the State Department announced the revocation of over 600 visas from foreign nationals.
- The task force reviews activities and travel histories of visa holders worldwide and analyzes information from various federal agencies.
- The State Department stated that the task force aims to identify birth tourism, revoke visas, and dismantle networks that profit from the practice.
- The State Department indicated that facilitators have turned birth tourism into a lucrative industry, often marketing themselves as doulas or wellness advocates.
- Some operators are reported to forge medical documents or coach clients to hide their true purpose of travel.
- The 14th Amendment to the US Constitution provides that individuals born in the United States are US citizens, forming the basis for birthright citizenship.
- The Department of State emphasized that citizenship is not a commodity to be acquired through exploitation of US immigration laws.
The Trump administration's Birth Tourism Prevention Task Force has revoked over 600 visas as part of a crackdown on foreign nationals traveling to the U.S. to give birth. The initiative follows an executive order from President Trump, defining birth tourism as the entry of non-immigrant visa holders for childbirth.1234
The State Department aims to identify and dismantle networks profiting from this practice, stating that some facilitators market themselves as doulas or wellness advocates while promoting U.S. birth services. They often forge medical documents or coach clients to misrepresent their travel purpose.56
The task force reviews visa holders' activities and travel histories, analyzing data from various federal agencies. The department noted that foreign nationals who misrepresent their travel purpose risk permanent ineligibility for U.S. visas. In one case, a couple used a shopping trip as a cover to give birth, while a foreign official overstayed her visa to deliver a child in the U.S.
The 14th Amendment guarantees citizenship to those born on U.S. soil, forming the basis for birthright citizenship. The State Department emphasizes that citizenship should not be treated as a commodity, and the task force's actions are just the beginning of efforts to protect the integrity of U.S. immigration laws.8
The department stated, "Foreign nationals who abuse the visa system, and those who assist them, may lose their visa, access, and future in the United States."
“The task force will review visa holders' travel histories and coordinate with DHS to dismantle profit-making networks. Officials cited cases like a couple who used a conference as cover to give birth twice, and a foreign official who stayed three months to deliver, all with visas revoked.”
BBC
