ICE launches 'Birth Tourism Initiative' to target networks facilitating citizenship schemes
Apr 10, 2026
The Trump administration announced a new ICE operation targeting networks that help pregnant foreign nationals come to the U.S. to give birth so their children can obtain citizenship. While giving birth in the U.S. is not unlawful, federal regulation prohibits using temporary visas for the primary purpose of obtaining citizenship for newborns, and violators could face fraud or related criminal charges. The administration characterizes birth tourism as a cost to taxpayers and national security threat, though DHS acknowledges the practice itself is not explicitly illegal.
Sources
Related incidents
- ICE plans new coordination center to expand 287(g) program in TennesseeAug 21, 2026
- USCIS warns employers TPS for 150,000 Salvadorans may end abruptlyAug 21, 2026
- US sends nearly 2,300 Mexican deportees through Guatemala, Honduras to bypass direct returnsAug 21, 2026
- Medical examiner identifies skeletal remains found in Pima County desertAug 21, 2026 · Pima County, AZ
- 160+ Haitians deported to gang-controlled Haiti after TPS status endsAug 20, 2026 · Cap-Haïtien, Haiti
- ICE operations intensify in Springfield, dozens of Haitians detained this monthAug 20, 2026 · Springfield, OH