Ban Birth Tourism Act Introduced to Prevent Foreign Nationals from Buying U.S. Citizenship

U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) has introduced the Ban Birth Tourism Act to eliminate loopholes exploited by foreign nationals to obtain U.S. citizenship for their children. The bill aims to end the practice of birth tourism, which has become a multi-million-dollar industry, catering to wealthy Russian and Chinese nationals who pay thousands of dollars for advice on how to lie to immigration officers. Estimated births to women on tourist visas annually are at least 33,000, resulting in instant citizenship for the infant, who can sponsor the migration of their parents to the United States 21 years later.

Key Takeaways:

• The Ban Birth Tourism Act would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to ban birth tourism as a permissible basis for obtaining a temporary visitor visa.
• The bill aims to prevent foreign nationals from exploiting the system to obtain U.S. citizenship for their children.
• An estimated 33,000 births to women on tourist visas occur annually, resulting in instant citizenship for the infant.
• Infants born as a result of birth tourism can sponsor the migration of their parents to the United States 21 years later.
• Companies that cater to birth tourism charge foreign clients thousands of dollars for advice on how to lie to immigration officers.
• The Ban Birth Tourism Act targets foreign nationals, including those from adversaries like Communist China and Russia, who exploit the system to buy American citizenship for their children.
• U.S. President Trump has taken swift action to protect the meaning and value of American citizenship, supporting the ban on birth tourism.
• Senator Marsha Blackburn believes that the bill needs to be passed to President Trump's desk to effectively end birthright citizenship.

Statistics:

• Estimated annual births to women on tourist visas: at least 33,000.
• Total value of the birth tourism industry: multi-million-dollar.
• Number of countries involved: at least two (China and Russia).
• Ability of infants born in the U.S. to sponsor their parents' migration: 21 years.
• Number of businesses catering to birth tourism: unknown.

Sources:

• "Ban Birth Tourism Act" bill text (http://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-bill/1216).
• Statement by U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) (https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/newsroom/press/ban-birth-tourism).
• Article by Contify.com (https://contify.com/article/Ban-birth-tourism-act-introduced-u-s-senate/).
• Report on birth tourism (no online source available).