Trump administration targets foreign networks, visa agents and medical providers accused of helping overseas clients obtain U.S. citizenship for their children through fraudulent travel arrangements.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2026 — Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a new visa restriction policy Wednesday targeting foreign nationals and commercial networks involved in birth tourism, a practice in which people travel to the United States primarily to give birth so their children can obtain American citizenship.
The new policy, introduced under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, is aimed at individuals who knowingly participate in or facilitate birth tourism, including those who operate businesses that arrange travel and childbirth in the United States.
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In a statement, Rubio accused foreign commercial birth tourism networks of exploiting the American immigration system by selling services designed to help overseas clients secure U.S. citizenship for their newborn children.
According to the State Department, some of these networks charge clients tens of thousands of dollars to arrange travel, accommodations and medical services. The department alleges that certain operators also coach clients to provide false information on their visa applications or conceal the true purpose of their visits.
The restrictions could affect business owners, operators and managers of commercial birth tourism networks, visa agents who encourage applicants to commit fraud and foreign medical providers who knowingly assist such arrangements. Individuals involved in facilitating fraudulent use of Medicaid, the government-funded health insurance program for eligible low-income Americans, are also among those targeted.
The policy applies to individuals who currently engage in such activities, those who have participated in them previously and others who knowingly support or enable commercial birth tourism. Certain family members may also face visa restrictions.
What is birth tourism?
Birth tourism generally refers to traveling to another country primarily to give birth so the child can obtain citizenship there. In the United States, the practice has raised concerns about immigration fraud, the misuse of public benefits and commercial businesses that profit from arranging such trips.
Under existing U.S. visa regulations, traveling primarily to give birth for the purpose of obtaining American citizenship for a child is not a permissible use of a visitor visa. However, foreign nationals may still seek visitor visas for legitimate medical treatment, provided they meet the necessary requirements.
The United States previously tightened its rules on birth tourism in January 2020, when the State Department authorized consular officers to deny visitor visas if they had reason to believe an applicant’s primary purpose was to give birth in the country to obtain citizenship for the child.
Wednesday’s announcement expands the administration’s approach by specifically targeting individuals and organizations that knowingly facilitate commercial birth tourism, rather than focusing solely on travelers applying for visitor visas.
Concerns over fraud and taxpayer-funded benefits
The Trump administration says the new restrictions are intended to protect the integrity of the U.S. immigration system and prevent the misuse of taxpayer-funded public benefits.
The State Department identified visa fraud and fraudulent Medicaid use as concerns associated with certain commercial birth tourism operations. It said some networks help foreign nationals misrepresent their travel intentions while arranging for their children to be born in the United States.
The announcement also describes the policy as a national security measure, although it does not identify specific security incidents linked to birth tourism.
The department did not disclose how many individuals or companies may face restrictions, which countries are home to the networks being targeted or the financial losses allegedly associated with the activities.
What the policy means for foreign travelers
The new policy could prevent foreign nationals identified as participants or facilitators of commercial birth tourism from obtaining U.S. visas. It also covers individuals who knowingly help organize, finance or support such operations.
The announcement does not establish a blanket prohibition on pregnant women visiting the United States or prohibit travel for legitimate medical care. Rather, it focuses on birth tourism and individuals involved in facilitating the practice.
The measures concern visa eligibility and do not, by themselves, change the citizenship status of children already born in the United States.
Rubio said the administration would use available immigration enforcement tools to protect American public benefits, taxpayers and the country’s citizenship system.
The State Department has not announced a timetable for identifying individuals subject to the new restrictions or provided details about how many visas may be affected.
The announcement marks another step in the Trump administration’s efforts to tighten immigration enforcement, with its latest measures extending scrutiny beyond visa applicants to the international businesses and individuals that arrange their travel.