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US birth tourism crackdown: Trump administration launches task force to target visa abuse and facilitators
The US State Department has established a new global task force to combat birth tourism and has already revoked more than 600 visas.
The US State Department has established a new global task force to combat birth tourism and has already revoked more than 600 visas as the Trump administration intensifies efforts to prevent the misuse of nonimmigrant visas.
The Birth Tourism Prevention Task Force, announced by the State Department on August 12, will review visa holders' activities worldwide, identify suspected cases of birth tourism and target networks that facilitate the practice.
The department said the initiative is being carried out in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security and will use information held across federal agencies to identify suspected violations.
“Birth tourism” generally refers to foreigners traveling to the United States with the intention of giving birth so their child can obtain US citizenship under current law. The State Department said some facilitators have turned the practice into a commercial business by arranging travel, medical care and hospital services for pregnant visitors.
More than 600 visas revoked
According to the State Department, the task force has revoked more than 600 visas held by foreign nationals around the world as part of its crackdown.
The department said visas are generally revoked when there are indications that a person may be ineligible to hold one. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also has broad discretionary authority to revoke visas, the department said.
The task force will examine travel histories and other information to identify suspected birth tourism cases, with officials saying the effort is intended to operate on a global scale.
The State Department said its action is aimed not only at travelers suspected of using visas for birth tourism but also at people and organizations that help arrange such trips.
US targets birth tourism networks
The State Department accused some facilitators of openly marketing birth-in-the-US packages while presenting themselves as doulas, midwives or wellness advisers.
Also read: Applying for US citizenship? Trump administration considering tougher test, new education standards
According to the department, some operators offer visa coaching and hospital arrangements and, in certain cases, have allegedly helped clients conceal their actual travel plans. Officials also alleged that some facilitators have used falsified medical documents or encouraged travelers to misrepresent the purpose of their visits.
The department described birth tourism as a practice involving nationals from countries across the world and said it intends to dismantle networks that profit from the business.
The Trump administration has framed the campaign as part of a broader effort to protect the integrity of the US immigration and visa system.
State Department cites cases of alleged visa fraud
The State Department also detailed several cases that it said demonstrated how applicants had allegedly misrepresented their travel plans.
In one case, a couple reportedly used a conference and vacation shopping as cover for trips to the United States while actually intending to give birth there. The department said the couple lied about the purpose of travel on two separate visa applications and concealed the existence of a child during the second application. Their visas were revoked.
In another case, a foreign government official obtained a visa for a one-week government-related trip but allegedly remained in the United States for three months and gave birth before leaving the country. Her visa was subsequently revoked.
The department also cited a traveler who applied for a visa to vacation in Orlando but instead went to Los Angeles and gave birth five days after arriving in the United States. Her visa was revoked as well.
The State Department warned that foreigners who deliberately misrepresent the purpose of their travel or entry can face permanent ineligibility for a US visa or admission to the country.
“Citizenship is not a commodity,” the department said, warning that people who abuse the visa system, as well as those who assist them, could lose their visas and future access to the United States.
The new task force marks a significant escalation in the administration's effort to target birth tourism, with the State Department signaling that the review of visa holders and the investigation of facilitators will continue worldwide.
