Concerns are mounting among some Republican lawmakers regarding birth tourism, particularly in light of rising issues related to national security and fraud.
Birth tourism is essentially when individuals from other countries come to the U.S. to deliver their babies, thus ensuring those children receive citizenship. Experts and lawmakers have cautioned that these activities can pose significant risks to national security and may lead to financial burdens on American taxpayers.
James Comer, the Chairman of the House Oversight Committee, stated in a release that the birth tourism industry is connected with fraudulent activities and criminal behavior, which in turn threatens national security and burden taxpayers. He pointed out that his committee’s task force recently highlighted this issue, especially when the CEO of a birth tourism promotion company declined to answer questions under scrutiny.
Comer went on to explain how individuals involved in birth tourism take advantage of American immigration laws, which ultimately drains resources that are funded by taxpayers. He affirmed that the Oversight Committee, working with the previous Trump administration, is committed to combating these illegal activities and restoring the integrity of the immigration system.
Birth tourism is a blatant abuse of America’s immigration system.
Businesses are openly helping foreign nationals from China and other adversarial nations exploit our laws to secure U.S. citizenship for their children.
This scheme needs to be shut down.
— Rep. James Comer (@RepJamesComer) August 28, 2026
In May, the Oversight Committee announced investigations into several businesses suspected of engaging in birth tourism. The committee’s task force held a hearing on September 1, examining the extent of birth tourism schemes across the country.
During that hearing, Texas Republican Rep. Brandon Gill emphasized the value of U.S. citizenship, arguing that the concept of birthright citizenship is being manipulated by individuals from various countries, including nations seen as adversarial.
The Migration Policy Institute estimates that between 22,000 to 26,000 births occur in the U.S. yearly due to birth tourism, although official data indicates only about 9,600 births to mothers with foreign addresses as of 2024.
Birth tourism is a global phenomenon, with participants from countries like China, Taiwan, Nigeria, and others. Reports suggest that some travelers misstate the reasons for their visits to bypass scrutiny.
You can’t build a business model around exploiting America’s immigration laws.
My Task Force is investigating birth tourism companies, and we will hold them accountable.
— Congressman Brandon Gill (@RepBrandonGill) July 11, 2026
Chris Hajec from the Federation for American Immigration Reform indicated that birth tourism could potentially lead to individuals raised abroad, who may be opposed to America, having the freedom to enter the U.S., spy, or vote.
Hajec also noted that, following the Supreme Court’s ruling regarding birthright citizenship, measures to discourage birth tourism, such as restricting visas for pregnant travelers, might become more stringent.
The Supreme Court had recently ruled that an executive order from former President Trump, which aimed to deny birthright citizenship to children born in the U.S. to foreign national parents, was unconstitutional.
After that ruling, Trump issued an executive order on August 6 to eradicate birth tourism, highlighting how current immigration laws allow for temporary nonimmigrant visas that are now being exploited by birth tourism enterprises.
In August, the State Department announced the formation of a task force aimed at combating birth tourism, planning to analyze visa holder activities globally to identify cases of birth tourism and dismantle the networks benefiting from it.
Birth tourism might also increase pressure on healthcare and public services, potentially endangering the safety of citizens and lawful residents, according to legal experts.
A U.S. embassy in West Africa uncovered an elaborate birth tourism operation involving over 100 foreign nationals using fake documents to secure visas for acquiring U.S. citizenship for their children.
Recently, Texas has taken steps to address alleged birth tourism practices. Governor Greg Abbott initiated action in July to have state agencies investigate birth tourism and ensure accountability from providers.
In late June, Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles proposed new legislation to combat birth tourism, expressing concern about foreign influence on American culture.
