US President Donald Trump speaks next to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a Shield of the Americas. (Photo: Reuters)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced a new visa restriction policy targeting foreign nationals who engage in or facilitate commercial birth tourism, escalating the Trump administration’s campaign against arrangements involving travel to the US to give birth and obtain citizenship for a child.
It targets operators of birth-tourism networks, visa “fixers” accused of coaching applicants to commit fraud, foreign medical providers who knowingly facilitate such travel and the fraudulent use of Medicaid, and others who support or enable the practice. “By restricting visa issuance of those who both engage in and profit from this fraud, we are sending a clear message: The United States will not allow foreigners to exploit our immigration system and violate the sanctity of US citizenship,” he said. The policy, announced on Wednesday, seeks to restrict visa issuance to individuals who knowingly engage in, profit from or facilitate commercial birth tourism.
The State Department said the measure is being implemented under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which allows the secretary of state to determine that an individual’s entry would have potentially serious adverse foreign-policy consequences. On Sept 3, a federal district judge in Maryland blocked the administration from enforcing a new executive order issued by President Donald Trump on Aug 6. Earlier reporting noted: Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the policy on September 23, saying the measure is aimed at commercial networks that arrange for foreign nationals to travel to the US to give birth primarily to obtain US citizenship for their children.
Certain family members of individuals covered by the restrictions may also be affected, according to the announcement. “Foreign commercial networks specializing in birth tourism have exploited the US immigration system to sell US citizenship for profit,” Rubio said, accusing such networks of advising foreign nationals to misrepresent the purpose of their travel and charging tens of thousands of dollars to arrange births on American soil. The order sought to restrict automatic US citizenship for certain children born in the country, including children whose parents were deemed “alien enemies”, foreign government employees or individuals involved in commercial arrangements to secure a birth in the US. “The Supreme Court has spoken: Children in the certified class are ‘citizens at birth’,” Boardman wrote, according to reporting on the decision. Earlier reporting noted: Trump administration targets birth tourism with visa curbs: Who could face restrictions under new policy The United States has announced a new visa restriction policy targeting people who knowingly engage in or facilitate commercial “birth tourism”, including operators of birth-tourism networks, visa “fixers” accused of coaching applicants to commit fraud and foreign medical providers involved in such arrangements.
The judge’s ruling followed a June Supreme Court decision rejecting the administration’s earlier, broader attempt to restrict birthright citizenship. Earlier reporting noted: The policy targets individuals who knowingly engage in, have engaged in or facilitate commercial birth tourism .