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Viral video: Pregnant Nigerian woman denied US travel, renewing birthright citizenship row
A pregnant woman's travel plans to the U.S. have sparked controversy over birthright citizenship.
A viral video purporting to depict a Nigerian woman, who is 37 weeks pregnant, being prevented from traveling to the United States due to suspicions of birth tourism has gained significant attention on social media, sparking renewed discussions regarding birthright citizenship.
The video was posted on X with the following caption: “UK officer Sarah steps in and stops it. Babies born in US get automatic citizenship — a massive loophole. UK babies don’t. Sarah is a hero."
"End birthright citizenship for non-citizens now. No more anchor babies. America First.”
In the footage, the woman mentions that she is set to travel to the United States the next day. "I’m going to the US tomorrow."
An immigration officer named Sarah then inquires, “When you went for your American visa, did you tell the visa officer that you were pregnant?”
The female responds, “No.”
When questioned about her decision not to reveal her pregnancy during the visa interview, she states, “It didn’t come up.”
Nigerian woman says she wanted to visit her sister in US
In the narration of the clip, the woman expresses her intention to visit her sister in the United States and return home three weeks prior to her due date. Her anticipated delivery date is June 5, while her return flight is scheduled for May 16.
The video asserts that this travel plan would have her at around 37 weeks of pregnancy during the journey, which exceeds the limits set by most airlines. It further mentions that while children born in the United Kingdom do not automatically gain British citizenship, those born in the United States typically obtain U.S. citizenship at birth due to the country's birthright citizenship laws.
Officer informs US authorities about Nigerian woman's pregancy status
Despite reportedly possessing a valid U.S. visa, Sarah is depicted reaching out to the U.S. Embassy to confirm whether officials were informed of her advanced stage of pregnancy. “I just wondered if you could give a call to the American embassy so that they can check an American visa for me. She’s at the airport today and she’s in an advanced state of pregnancy, so if you can just give them a call and find out if they’re happy with that, and if so, then we can let her travel.”
Later in the video, Sarah informs the woman, “I’ve contacted the visa man and explained your situation. What he’d like to do is if you… Can you go back to the embassy here in Lagos, show him all this paperwork, and he’ll want to speak to you.”
The video ends by asserting that the woman did not visit the U.S. Embassy in Lagos, leading to the cancellation of her visa. However, there was no official confirmation from U.S. authorities regarding the incident or the alleged visa cancellation that accompanied the viral post.
According to the date mentioned in the video, it seems the footage was recorded approximately a month prior to its reappearance online, reigniting the ongoing discussion about birthright citizenship in the United States.
US citizenship and constitution
According to the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, almost everyone born on American territory is automatically granted U.S. citizenship, irrespective of their parents' immigration status, with certain exceptions such as the offspring of foreign diplomats. This policy has historically sparked political controversy surrounding the concept of "birth tourism," where it is claimed that foreign nationals come to the United States to give birth so that their children can acquire U.S. citizenship.
While confirmed instances of birth tourism represent merely a small percentage of births in the United States, the wider political discourse remains centered on the extent of birthright citizenship.
An analysis conducted by the Pew Research Center on birth data from 2023 revealed that approximately 320,000 infants, equating to about 9% of all births in the U.S. that year, were born to mothers who were either unauthorized immigrants or possessed temporary legal status. According to current legislation, these children typically obtain U.S. citizenship at birth; however, their parents do not gain any automatic immigration advantages due to the child's citizenship.
