The United States has created a new inter-agency task force to tackle birth tourism and has revoked more than 600 visas worldwide as part of its initial enforcement actions.
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The Birth Tourism Prevention Task Force was announced by the US Department of State under President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
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The initiative targets foreign nationals who travel to the United States primarily to give birth and obtain US citizenship for their children.
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The move follows two executive orders signed by Trump directing federal agencies to take action against foreigners who enter the country for the purpose of giving birth.
According to the US State Department, the task force will work with the Department of Homeland Security to identify suspected cases of birth tourism, review applicants’ travel histories, revoke visas where violations are established and investigate networks that facilitate the practice.
The department warned that foreigners who deliberately provide false information about the purpose of their travel could face permanent restrictions on obtaining a US visa or entering the country.
Officials said the campaign is aimed at preventing the misuse of non-immigrant visas and protecting the integrity of the US immigration system.
US embassies and consulates, including those in Abuja and Lagos, have also been instructed to pay closer attention to visa applications that contain signs suggesting that an applicant intends to travel to the US to give birth.
The State Department said birth tourism has developed into a commercial business, with some operators offering packages that include visa assistance, accommodation and arrangements with hospitals.
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According to the department, some facilitators operate online and market childbirth packages to prospective parents. It also alleged that certain operators assist clients in providing false information, producing fraudulent medical documents or avoiding hospital payments.
The department said it was using information from visa and travel records to identify individuals and networks involved in the practice.
It cited several cases as examples of the type of conduct that has prompted visa revocations.
In one case, a couple reportedly used a conference and holiday as the stated reason for travelling to the US but gave birth to two children while there. They allegedly concealed the birth of their first child during a subsequent visa application, leading to the revocation of their visas.
In another case, a foreign government official reportedly obtained a visa for a one-week official visit but remained in the US for three months and gave birth before leaving the country. Her visa was subsequently revoked.
The department also cited a traveller who applied for a holiday in Orlando but instead went to Los Angeles and gave birth five days after arriving in the US. Her visa was also revoked.
The task force is expected to continue examining information held by the State Department and DHS to identify patterns associated with birth tourism.
The US government also plans to provide additional training to consular officers to help them identify possible misrepresentation during visa interviews.
The State Department said the enforcement campaign would continue across different regions as US authorities seek to disrupt businesses and networks that profit from birth tourism.
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