State Department announces visa restrictions targeting people who facilitate or profit from birth tourism
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the policy targets networks, visa fixers and foreign medical providers, and may extend to certain family members.
What we know
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a new visa restriction policy on Sept. 23, 2026, aimed at people who knowingly engage in or facilitate birth tourism to the United States. [1] [2]
- The policy is issued under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. [2]
- Targets include owners, operators and managers of commercial birth tourism networks, visa "fixers" who coach applicants to commit fraud, and foreign medical providers who knowingly abet such travel and the fraudulent use of Medicaid. [2]
- The State Department said certain family members may also be covered by the restrictions. [2]
- Not yet confirmed: The sources do not say how many people or networks are affected, when the restrictions take effect, or how the State Department will identify those covered. The claims about fees, visa fraud and Medicaid misuse are the department's own statements, and no supporting data was provided.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a new visa restriction policy on Sept. 23 that targets people who engage in or facilitate birth tourism to the United States, according to a State Department press statement. [2]
The Department of State said in a post on X that birth tourism "defrauds our immigration and Medicaid systems." It said the new policy targets those who engage in or profit from the practice. [1]
In the statement, Rubio said foreign commercial birth tourism networks have exploited the U.S. immigration system to sell U.S. citizenship for profit. He said the networks advertise and coach foreign nationals to lie on visa applications, and collect tens of thousands of dollars to arrange births on American soil to obtain citizenship. [2]
The policy is issued under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Rubio said it covers people who knowingly engage in, have engaged in, or facilitate birth tourism. That includes owners, operators and managers of commercial facilitation networks, visa "fixers" who coach applicants to commit fraud, and foreign medical providers who knowingly abet such travel and the fraudulent use of Medicaid. It also covers others who support or enable commercial birth tourism. [2]
The statement said certain family members may also be covered by the restrictions. [2]
Rubio said the Trump administration is using every tool available to defend the integrity of U.S. citizenship, protect public benefits and taxpayers, and safeguard national security. He said the United States "will not allow foreigners to exploit our immigration system and violate the sanctity of U.S. citizenship." [2]