Trump Administration Imposes Visa Rules For Pregnant Women On 'Birth Tourism'

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - The Trump administration announced Thursday new visa rules aimed at restricting "birth tourism."

The practice refers to foreign nationals who travel to the US mainland to give birth so that their children can be US Citizens.

Here is the statement from the White House Press Secretary regarding the visa regulation rule change:

"Beginning January 24, 2020, the State Department will no longer issue temporary visitor (B-1/B-2) visas to aliens seeking to enter the United States for "birth tourism" – the practice of traveling to the United States to secure automatic and permanent American citizenship for their children by giving birth on American soil.

This rule change is necessary to enhance public safety, national security, and the integrity of our immigration system.

The birth tourism industry threatens to overburden valuable hospital resources and is rife with criminal activity, as reflected in Federal prosecutions.

Closing this glaring immigration loophole will combat these endemic abuses and ultimately protect the United States from the national security risks created by this practice.

It will also defend American taxpayers from having their hard-earned dollars siphoned away to finance the direct and downstream costs associated with birth tourism.

The integrity of American citizenship must be protected."