US Targets Birth Tourism with Visa Restrictions
The Trump administration has rolled out targeted visa restrictions aimed at individuals involved in commercial birth tourism. This move is part of a broader effort to combat visa fraud, including sham marriages and fictitious employment offers.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the measures will target participants alongside commercial facilitators who coordinate travel to the United States for the purpose of securing American citizenship via childbirth. The initiative also includes potential extensions to immediate family members.
'Foreign commercial birth tourism networks have exploited the US immigration system to sell US citizenship for profit,' Rubio stated, condemning the practice. 'These entities coach foreign applicants to deceive visa adjudicators, extracting substantial sums to orchestrate deliveries on American soil exclusively for citizenship acquisition.'
The new restrictions are enacted under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act and target those presently or previously engaged in facilitating birth tourism.