Senator Blackburn introduces bill to ban birth tourism, end citizenship loophole

Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., has introduced new legislation aimed at dismantling the birth tourism industry that allows foreign nationals to exploit America’s immigration system to secure automatic citizenship for their children. The Ban Birth Tourism Act, introduced in the U.S. Senate, seeks to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to declare inadmissible any foreign national seeking a tourist visa for the primary purpose of giving birth in the United States.

This loophole in the immigration system has long been criticized for allowing individuals to secure U.S. citizenship for their children simply by giving birth on American soil. This practice not only undermines the integrity of the immigration system but also opens the door to future family-sponsored migration.

Blackburn’s bill includes a provision to protect legitimate medical travelers. Those seeking entry for medical treatment rather than citizenship acquisition would not be affected by the legislation. The goal of the Ban Birth Tourism Act is to prevent foreign nationals, including those from countries like Communist China and Russia, from exploiting the system to obtain American citizenship for their children.

“For too long, foreign nationals have been exploiting our nation’s immigration laws, taking advantage of the system to come to the United States solely to give birth and obtain citizenship for their children,” Blackburn said in a press release. “The Ban Birth Tourism Act would prevent foreign nationals from buying American citizenship for their children. As President Trump works to end birthright citizenship, we need to get this bill to his desk.”

The Trump administration has also been focused on restoring immigration integrity, with efforts to deny visas to suspected birth tourists. Birth tourism is a significant industry, accounting for thousands of births annually to women on temporary visas. These children, upon reaching adulthood, can sponsor their parents for green cards, providing a backdoor into the U.S. immigration system.

In 2019, the Department of Justice charged nearly 20 individuals in Southern California for operating extensive birth tourism networks targeting Chinese nationals. These businesses were accused of coaching clients to lie to immigration officials about the purpose of their travel.

Blackburn’s bill aims to put an end to this practice by codifying into law the inadmissibility of any traveler seeking to exploit the birth tourism loophole. By closing this loophole, the Ban Birth Tourism Act ensures that birthright citizenship cannot be used as a means to game the immigration system.

The introduction of this legislation comes at a time when immigration enforcement is a top priority for the Trump administration. With a focus on restoring integrity to the immigration system, efforts to combat birth tourism are a crucial step in protecting the sovereignty of the United States.