Texas cracks down on birth tourism

Texas cracks down on birth tourism

DALLAS: Texas has launched one of its toughest crackdowns yet on birth tourism. Governor Greg Abbott signed Executive Order GA-57, directing state agencies to investigate hospitals, medical facilities and individuals suspected of helping foreign nationals travel to Texas to give birth and secure U.S. citizenship for their children.

The order could affect hospitals, doctors and healthcare providers, as well as visitors from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and other South Asian countries who travel to the United States on visit visas.

Announcing the order, Abbott said, “American citizenship is not for sale,” and vowed that Texas would not tolerate activities that the state believes exploit the U.S. immigration system.

The executive order directs six state agencies, including the Texas Department of State Health Services, the Health and Human Services Commission, the Texas Medical Board and the Texas Board of Nursing, to investigate suspected birth tourism-related activities within the healthcare sector.

The agencies can also share information with federal authorities and recommend actions such as suspending or revoking professional licenses and removing healthcare providers from state contracts when necessary.

The move follows Abbott’s earlier directive to the Health and Human Services Commission to investigate hospitals accused of advertising maternity packages specifically for foreign women.

State officials later referred the cases of two Texas hospitals to the attorney general after reports emerged about advertisements in Mexico promoting maternity services for pregnant foreign women near the U.S.-Mexico border. The advertisements reportedly listed normal delivery packages at $3,950 and C-section procedures at $5,525.