US Implements New Visa Limits Targeting Birth Tourism Facilitators

On Wednesday, the Trump administration announced it would restrict visas for people who participate in or facilitate birth tourism, arguing that the practice exploits the immigration system by allowing people to obtain American citizenship for profit. In a statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said: "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." Rubio said the measure targets individuals who knowingly engage in, have engaged in, or facilitate birth tourism to the United States. He said these include owners, operators and managers of commercial birth tourism networks; visa fixers who coach applicants to commit fraud; foreign medical providers who knowingly help facilitate such travel and the fraudulent use of Medicaid; and other people who support, assist or enable commercial birth tourism. Birth tourism is the practice of traveling to the United States primarily to give birth so the child obtains US citizenship. Last month, US President Donald Trump signed two executive orders withholding citizenship documentation from certain children born on US soil and restricting entry for birth tourism. Those orders followed the Supreme Court striking down Trump's January 20, 2025 executive order denying automatic citizenship to those born in the US to noncitizens.