Greg Abbott Signs Executive Order Combating Birth Tourism in Texas

Governor Greg Abbott signed an executive order on July 16, 2026, directing state agencies to investigate and eliminate unlawful birth tourism schemes. The order targets healthcare providers who advertise or facilitate the entry of non-citizens seeking birthright citizenship for their children. Penalties for violators may include the revocation of professional licenses, denial of state benefits, and prohibition from state contracts. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Texas Medical Board, and other state agencies are tasked with sharing information with federal prosecutors.

The order follows a series of investigations in South Texas. State officials probed Mission Regional Medical Center and Knapp Medical Center after reports surfaced of billboards in Mexico and the website havemybabyintexas.com advertising birth packages to foreign nationals. Mission Regional Medical Center stated it ceased using the marketing materials. Additionally, Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against Houston's De’ai Postpartum Care Center, alleging the facility coached Chinese nationals to deceive federal immigration officials.

These state actions align with a directive from the United States Department of Justice to prosecute those who fraudulently exploit the immigration system. The crackdown occurs as Governor Abbott continues to criticize a U.S. Supreme Court ruling upholding birthright citizenship. In response to that ruling, President Donald Trump has formally requested that the Supreme Court rehear the case.