State Department discovers more than 600 birth tourism schemes

The State Department has uncovered more than 600 “illegal birth tourism schemes” as part of its work to defend “the integrity of U.S. citizenship.”

“A U.S. visa is a privilege, not a right,” the department said in a series of X posts Wednesday. “The State Department is taking action around the world to stop this abuse, dismantle birth tourism networks and hold accountable those who try to scam our system.”

The findings spanned multiple continents.

More than 100 West African nationals formed a birth tourism network that provided fraudulent documents to obtain visas before the birth of a child. A U.S. embassy in North Africa revoked another 100 visas over suspicions applicants were “birth tourist parents.”

In Europe, another U.S. embassy reported more than 400 suspected birth tourism cases since 2024 alone. Six different European companies trained applicants on how to pass visa interviews and arrange American housing, according to the Department.

The investigations follow President Donald Trump’s 2025 executive order to abolish birthright citizenship for children of illegal immigrants or temporary visa holders. The order is currently before the U.S. Supreme Court, with a ruling expected before the end of its term this month.  

Dr. John C. Eastman of The Claremont Institute told Newsweek the 14th Amendment clause, which grants citizenship to all persons “born or naturalized” in the U.S., was “never intended to apply to temporary or illegal visitors.”

“The birth tourism scam may be the most high-profile abuse, but the problem is much larger and, unless fixed, our very sovereignty and ‘consent of the governed’ cornerstone principle will be at risk,” he said.

But Cato’s Director of Immigration Studies David Bier said the small number of people who abuse the visitor visa policies should not require the complete abolition of birthright citizenship.

“A small number of people come to the United States to give birth, including for legitimate medical reasons, and there is no reason to take away Americans’ only foolproof defense against an ICE arrest based on this small issue,” Bier told Newsweek.

Foreign abuse of birthright citizenship, however, is a legitimate concern, according to The Wall Street Journal, which uncovered how Chinese billionaires are manipulating the U.S. surrogacy industry to obtain U.S. citizenship for surrogate children.

In February, Sen. Scott, R-Florida, and Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, asked the Department of Justice to investigate Chinese surrogacy agencies based in the U.S.

Additionally, in May, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Florida’s Foreign Interference Restriction and Enforcement Act, or FIRE Act, to restrict surrogacy and adoption agreements involving citizens from designated countries of concern, according to Florida Voice News.