WASHINGTON — The Government of US President Donald Trump announced this Wednesday the formation of a new working group to prevent maternity tourism and revoked more than 600 visas for foreigners whom authorities linked to this practice.
The Department of State (DOS) is leading the effort to examine the activities of nonresident visa holders around the world to identify cases of pregnant women entering the United States as tourists and giving birth on U.S. soil.
The Working Group for the Prevention of Birth Tourism also focuses its efforts on establishing measures to revoke the visas of those who participate in this practice or facilitate it and dismantle the networks that profit from this abuse, in a widespread practice that involves citizens of countries from all regions of the world.
Protect immigration system
So far, more than 600 foreigner visas have been revoked under this initiative.
In a statement, the DOS highlighted that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has broad discretion to revoke visas, and the Trump Administration “is committed” to exercising that authority to protect the integrity of the US immigration system.
And he has assured that birth tourism has become a lucrative industry and is openly promoted as “birth services in the US”, providing advice on obtaining visas and hospital procedures.
“Some falsify medical documents or instruct their clients to hide the true purpose of their trip and avoid paying hospital bills, which become the burden of taxpayers.
They also use online marketing to promise customers “automatic citizenship” and “a borderless future,” the DOS said.
Investigation
The group’s work includes personnel from US embassies and consulates around the world, as well as from the US Department of Homeland Security, in charge of enforcing immigration laws within the country.
Researchers say they have discovered patterns in the information provided to enter the US with a tourist visa.
For example, one couple used a conference and a shopping vacation trip as an alibi for the mother to give birth, on separate occasions, lying about the reason for their trip on two separate visa applications. On the second occasion, the couple hid the fact that they already had a child born in the US in order to re-enter the country.
In another case, a foreign official applied for a visa to travel on behalf of her government for a single week; However, she stayed three months and gave birth in the United States before leaving.
Another traveler applied for a visa to vacation in Orlando, Florida, but instead traveled to Los Angeles, California, and gave birth five days after her arrival.
“Foreign citizens who abuse the visa system, as well as those who help them do so, may lose their visa, their access, and their future in the United States. This is just the beginning,” the State Department stated.
SOURCE: With information from EFE
