State Department Revokes 600 Visas to Combat Birth Tourism
The U.S. State Department established a task force to dismantle birth tourism networks and has revoked over 600 visas in its first month of operation.
The United States Department of State has established the Birth Tourism Prevention Task Force to combat foreign nationals traveling to the U.S. specifically to obtain birthright citizenship for their children. In its first month of operation, the task force has revoked more than 600 visas globally by analyzing travel histories and identifying individuals who defraud the visa system through forged documents and arranged travel.
This initiative follows two executive orders signed by President Donald Trump on August 6, including one titled "Ending Birth Tourism," which directs the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security to halt the practice. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the crackdown targets both travelers and commercial facilitators, such as those marketing themselves as doulas or wellness advocates, who coach foreigners to exploit immigration laws.
The enforcement action comes after a June 30 Supreme Court ruling in Trump v. Barbara, which affirmed that children born in the U.S. to parents who are unlawfully or temporarily present are citizens under the Fourteenth Amendment. While the administration is now focusing on visa revocation and dismantling facilitator networks, the American Civil Liberties Union has opposed the executive orders and sought judicial clarification to ensure the citizenship of babies covered by a previous class-action lawsuit remains protected.
