New rules clamp down on ‘birth tourism’

The Trump administration on Thursday published new visa rules to restrict pregnant women traveling to the United States to give birth so their children would gain U.S. citizenship. The State Department “does not believe that visiting the United States for the primary purpose of obtaining U.S. citizenship for a child, by giving birth in the United States—an activity commonly referred to as ‘birth tourism’—is a legitimate activity for pleasure or of a recreational nature,” according to the new rules, which take effect Friday.

Who gets a visa now? Consular officers will deny tourist visas if they determine a woman is coming to the country primarily to give birth. Women can still travel to the United States to give birth for medical reasons but must prove they have money to pay for any procedures and living expenses, like other foreigners arriving for treatment.

Dig deeper: Read my report in Compassion about how President Donald Trump has made it tougher for immigrants to enter the United States legally.