The United States has revoked more than 600 visas from foreign nationals as part of a new campaign against birth tourism, the State Department said on Wednesday.
The US State Department said it had established a Birth Tourism Prevention Task Force to identify visa holders who travelled to the United States to give birth and individuals who facilitated such travel.
The task force reviews the activities and travel histories of visa holders worldwide. It also analyses information held by the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies. The order defines birth tourism as the entry of a foreign national on a non-immigrant visa for the purpose of giving birth on American soil. It also covers efforts to facilitate such travel. One couple used a conference and a shopping holiday as cover stories while travelling to give birth to two children in the United States. They lied about their purpose in two separate visa applications and concealed the existence of one child during the second application. Their visas were revoked. She instead went to Los Angeles and gave birth five days after arriving. Her visa was also revoked.
The move follows an executive order issued by President Donald Trump on August 6.
The department said it had established a Birth Tourism Prevention Task Force to identify visa holders who travelled to the United States to give birth and individuals who facilitated such travel. Another traveller said she planned to holiday in Orlando.
