U.S. State Department Dismantles International Birth-Tourism Networks

On June 10 2026 the U.S. Department of State announced that it had shut down birth-tourism operations in West Africa, Europe and North Africa. Investigations uncovered a “sophisticated” network of more than 100 foreign nationals in West Africa who used fraudulent documents and visa “fixers” to obtain visitor visas for the purpose of giving birth in the United States. In Europe, officials identified over 400 suspected cases dating from 2024 and traced them to at least six companies that coached applicants, arranged U.S. housing and coordinated delivery plans. In North Africa, more than 100 visas were revoked for parents who traveled primarily to secure citizenship for their newborns. All identified visas were cancelled, and several individuals were permanently barred from entry.

State Department dismantles birth tourism networks; Scott, Florida officials previously raised concernsNewsmax (website)Business Insider

U.S. law grants citizenship to most children born on American soil, a provision that has long attracted foreign nationals seeking a “backup plan” for their offspring. The Department of Justice previously exposed large schemes: a 2020 New York City operation produced over 100 U.S.–born children, and a 2019 California investigation linked 8,500 births to Chinese-linked agencies. In January 2025 President Donald Trump signed an executive order to end automatic birthright citizenship for children of illegal immigrants and temporary-visa holders; lower courts have blocked the order, and the case now awaits a Supreme Court ruling. The current State Department actions represent the most extensive publicly disclosed enforcement effort since the Trump administration returned to office.

State Department dismantles birth tourism networks; Scott, Florida officials previously raised concernsBreitbart

State Department posts on X emphasized that a visitor visa is a privilege, not a right, and that the agency is “defending the integrity of U.S. citizenship” by targeting schemes that use visas primarily for childbirth. The department said it works with local authorities and law-enforcement partners, employing data analytics to identify fraudulent applications. President Trump has framed the issue as an exploitation of U.S. law, while Florida officials—including Sen. Rick Scott, Sen. Tom Cotton and Gov. Ron DeSantis—have called for investigations of Chinese-linked surrogacy agencies and signed the FIRE Act, which restricts certain surrogacy and adoption agreements with designated foreign countries.

State Department dismantles birth tourism networks; Scott, Florida officials previously raised concernsBusiness Insider

Critics note that official data on the global scale of birth tourism are limited, making independent assessment difficult. Legal challenges to the 2025 executive order highlight opposition to altering a constitutional provision without clear legislative authority. Some observers argue that the crackdown may overreach by penalizing legitimate travelers whose primary intent is not demonstrably fraudulent, especially given the lack of disclosed arrests or prosecutions.

Business Insider

The State Department’s statement did not name the nationalities or specific countries involved, whereas other reports cite Turkish nationals in New York, Chinese nationals in California, Russian nationals in Florida and Middle-Eastern nationals in Illinois. No information was provided on whether any criminal charges were filed, and the evidence supporting the alleged networks was not released.

State Department dismantles birth tourism networks; Scott, Florida officials previously raised concerns

The Supreme Court is expected to rule on the executive order in late June or early July 2026. Regardless of the outcome, the State Department has indicated that it will continue to monitor and revoke visas linked to birth-tourism schemes, potentially expanding enforcement to additional regions.

Daily Wire

• “A U.S. visa is a privilege, not a right,” — State Department messaging

State Department dismantles birth tourism networks; Scott, Florida officials previously raised concerns

• “Under President Trump, the State Department is defending the integrity of U.S. citizenship by ending illegal birth tourism schemes.” — State Department messaging

Newsmax (website)

• “No foreigner is permitted to obtain a visitor visa for the primary purpose of acquiring U.S. citizenship for a child by giving birth in the U.S.” — State Department messaging

State Department dismantles birth tourism networks; Scott, Florida officials previously raised concerns

• “We shut it down, revoked their visas, and permanently banned several fraudsters from traveling to the United States ever again,” — State Department officials

Breitbart

• “We are the only Country in the World STUPID enough to allow ‘Birthright’ Citizenship!” — President Donald Trump

Daily Wire