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Original Date Announced
April 9, 2026Reuters reports that ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) component ordered agents around the country to focus on a new “Birth Tourism Initiative" to target networks that help pregnant noncitizens give birth in the U.S. so their children can be citizens. HSI says it is "advancing efforts to protect the integrity of U.S. immigration and identification systems, specifically targeting fraudulent activities associated with birth tourism schemes" and that it would seek to disrupt “fraud, financial crimes, and organized facilitation networks that exploit lawful immigration processes.”
A White House spokeswoman added that "[u]ninhibited birth tourism poses a tremendous cost to taxpayers and threatens our national security." DHS noted "[w]hile the act of giving birth in the United States is not unlawful, DHS remains focused on identifying and addressing potential violations of federal law associated with these activities."
Trump 2.0 [ID #2252]
2026.04.10 Reported: ICE launches new effort to uncover US "birth tourism schemes" - ReutersEffective Date
April 9, 2026Subsequent Trump and Court Action
June 30, 20262026.06.30 DOJ - Prosecution of Fraudulent Birth Tourism Schemes
The Office of the Deputy Attorney General issued a memorandum to all DOJ employees regarding the prosecution of "Fraudulent Birth Tourism Schemes." The memo states that the "American system is exploited each year by thousands of foreigners who travel to the United States under false pretenses." It directs U.S. Attorneys and those in the Criminal Division to "prioritize investigation and prosecution of birth tourism schemes." The memo states that many such cases can be prosecuted as visa fraud, and further suggests prosecution under wire fraud, money laundering, unlawful use of identification, identity theft, and conspiracy to commit health care fraud laws.
View DocumentCurrent Status
NoneOriginal Trump Policy Status
Status: ReportedTrump Administration Actions: Agency Directive Change in PracticeSubject Matter: CitizenshipAgencies Affected: ICEAssociated or Derivative Policies
- January 24, 2020 State Department aims to limit 'birth tourism' with new visa rule
- January 20, 2025 EO 14160: "Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship"
Documents
Trump-Era Policy Documents
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Commentary
2026.04.29 MPI - Birth Tourism
The Migration Policy Institute (MPI) published a report analyzing birth tourism and related policy issues. While there are no official estimates of how many babies are born from birth tourism, the Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that in 2024 almost 9,600 babies were U.S.-born (including territories) to foreign mothers listing their address elsewhere. This represents "a tiny fraction of the more than 3.5 million U.S. births yearly."
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