Washington - United States
The US State Department has entered a new, very strict phase in confronting what is known as “birth tourism,” going beyond theoretical declarations to broad prevention measures. The latest official data revealed an increase in the number of canceled visas to about 900 entry visas around the world through the “Special Task Force to Prevent Birth Tourism,” in a step that reflects a radical shift towards pursuing the networks active and contributing to this phenomenon.

New limitations and excitement of monitoring tools

In a simultaneous update, the US Secretary of State announced the imposition of a new policy of visa restrictions under Section 212 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, directly targeting owners and managers of commercial facilitation networks, visa “fixers” who train applicants to provide false data, in addition to medical service providers abroad involved in coordination. The Ministry also launched a new electronic portal to receive public reports about cases of fraud and suspicious practices.

Security coordination to dismantle profitable systems
The federal task force relies on a data link and exchange mechanism between the Departments of State and Homeland Security to verify the historical records and trips of global travelers. These moves are based on the discretionary powers granted under the Executive Order signed in August 2026, which allow the two ministries to withdraw visas, deny entry to participants, and initiate deportation procedures.

Fraud methods under the microscope

Investigations documented several patterns of circumventing controls, including concealing the true purpose of travel by claiming to attend conferences, or spending short vacations, or on official government missions, before extending residency and heading to other states to give birth and obtain citizenship.

Security clarification and constitutional path
The US State Department clarified that this policy does not impose a comprehensive travel ban on pregnant women, but rather focuses exclusively on trips associated with fraud or commercial exploitation for the purpose of obtaining citizenship. The current procedures depend on the application of the provisions of the Immigration Law and the discretionary powers of visas, based on the position of the Supreme Court in June 2026, which confirmed that the constitutionally guaranteed birthright of citizenship cannot be revoked through executive orders.