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Despite Supreme Court ruling on birthright citizenship, Trump admin moves to tackle rise of 'birth tourism'
The Justice Department directed prosecutors to look into alleged cases of birth tourism, especially the ones which are suspected to be fraudulent.
Days after the Supreme Court of the United States upheld birthright citizenship in the country, the Trump administration continues to tackle the rise of birth tourism.
As per local reports, the Justice Department directed prosecutors to look into alleged cases of birth tourism, especially the ones which are suspected to be fraudulent.
“The Department of Justice will zealously protect the sanctity of United States citizenship by investigating and prosecuting those who fraudulently exploit our immigration system,” Colin McDonald, head of the Justice Department’s fraud division, wrote in the memo, as reported by The Hill.
According to Reuters, the DOJ memo further added that prosecutors should look into individuals who enter the US "under false pretences” to give birth and obtain citizenship for their child.
This memo follows SCOTUS's ruling against Trump's executive order to end birthright citizenship and upholding the clause governed by the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution.
Also Read | From Jus Soli to Wong Kim Ark: The trials and turns of birthright citizenship in US
In addition, the Justice Department memo comes months after the Department of Homeland Security launched a "birth tourism initiative" that directed investigations into the practice.
What is birth tourism?
Birth Tourism is the practice of travelling to another country for the main purpose of giving birth there. The practice is common in countries that offer birthright citizenship.
In the US, the practice is already deemed illegal, and one of the main reasons why President Trump signed the executive order in January 2025.
Trump admin works towards crack down
With the memo and initiatives by the Justice and Homeland Security departments, the Trump administration is now working towards using other statutes such as visa fraud, insurance fraud and money laundering to tackle birth tourism.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has also stated that prosecutors and law enforcement officers will be focusing on "birth tourism."
“There’s other things that [the Department if Homeland Security] can do, and the federal government can do in the visa process, and the application process, to try to minimize or limit the opportunity of folks coming here not to visit, and not to do what they’re saying they’re doing on the tourist visa, but just to have a baby that can then be a US citizen,” Blanche told reporters on Tuesday.
