State Department Reports Disrupting Overseas Birth Tourism Networks
The U.S. State Department says it has identified and disrupted multiple overseas birth tourism networks that allegedly helped foreign nationals obtain visitor visas to travel to the United States for the primary purpose of giving birth, according to a report published Wednesday by The Daily Wire.
According to the report, U.S. embassies in West Africa, Europe, and North Africa uncovered evidence of coordinated operations designed to assist visa applicants seeking U.S. citizenship for their children through birth on American soil. State Department officials reportedly worked with law enforcement agencies to investigate the networks, revoke visas, and impose immigration penalties on individuals accused of participating in the schemes.
In Europe, investigators reportedly identified more than 400 suspected birth tourism cases dating back to 2024. Officials alleged that at least six companies coached visa applicants on how to answer consular interview questions, arranged travel and lodging, and coordinated childbirth plans in the United States. The report states that the State Department revoked visas connected to the operation and permanently barred several individuals from future travel to the United States.
In North Africa, a U.S. embassy reportedly revoked more than 100 visitor visas issued to individuals accused of traveling primarily to give birth in the United States. Officials also said a separate network operating in West Africa had been dismantled, with visas revoked for those allegedly involved.
In messaging cited by The Daily Wire, the State Department emphasized that visitor visas cannot legally be used for the primary purpose of obtaining U.S. citizenship for a child. “A U.S. visa is a privilege, not a right,” the department said, adding that it is committed to identifying fraudulent activity, dismantling birth tourism networks, and protecting the integrity of the immigration system.
The report also referenced a lawsuit filed by the State of Texas against De’Ai Postpartum Care Center in Houston, which state officials allege helped facilitate travel for Chinese nationals seeking to give birth in the United States. The lawsuit claims the center assisted in the births of more than 1,000 children, allegations the defendants have disputed in court.
The issue comes as President Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to limit birthright citizenship continues to face legal challenges. The order, signed shortly after he returned to office in January 2025, has been temporarily blocked by several federal courts. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule on related legal questions as litigation over the policy continues.
