The administration of United States President Donald Trump has renewed its crackdown on so-called “birth tourism,” warning foreign nationals that they cannot obtain US visas for the primary purpose of travelling to the country to give birth and secure American citizenship for their children.
The White House on Saturday highlighted comments by Stephen Miller, Trump’s Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Adviser, who said the practice had been banned under a new executive order. Miller said foreigners would no longer be allowed to obtain visas for what the administration considers a fraudulent birth-tourism purpose.
Birth tourism refers to foreigners travelling to the US, often on temporary visitor visas, with the intention of giving birth so that their children can acquire US citizenship.
Miller said immigration authorities would distinguish ordinary tourists from people who misrepresent their purpose for travelling to the US. He argued that applicants who claim they are visiting as tourists while actually intending to give birth in the country could be considered to have committed fraud against the US government.
The latest action follows Trump’s broader attempt to restrict birthright citizenship. His January 2025 Executive Order 14160 sought to deny automatic citizenship to certain children born in the US when their mothers were unlawfully present or lawfully but temporarily present, including on tourist, student or work visas, and their fathers were neither US citizens nor lawful permanent residents.
However, the administration’s broader birthright-citizenship effort has faced major legal challenges. The latest measures were introduced after the US Supreme Court rejected Trump’s earlier attempt to end birthright citizenship through executive action, prompting the administration to pursue narrower measures targeting specific categories, including birth tourism.
Trump has claimed that “hundreds of thousands” of people take advantage of birth tourism. However, during Supreme Court proceedings in April, Solicitor General John Sauer acknowledged that the government did not know the exact number of people involved.
For foreign parents seeking US visitor visas, the development means that consular officers are likely to pay closer attention to the purpose of travel and whether an applicant intends to give birth in the United States. Applicants who conceal such an intention could face visa-related consequences.
The administration has described the policy as an effort to protect the integrity of the US immigration and citizenship systems, while critics continue to challenge the broader attempt to redefine who qualifies for birthright citizenship under the US Constitution.
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