A chairman of a House task force expressed concerns regarding companies facilitating travel for foreign nationals to give birth in the U.S. and potentially engage in a criminal conspiracy. Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, leads the House Oversight Committee’s Task Force on Defending Constitutional Rights and Exposing Institutional Abuses. He stated that subpoenas have been issued to several ‘birth tourism companies’.
Gill emphasized the legality issue, noting, ‘Under current law, birth tourism is illegal. You cannot come into the United States for the purpose of giving birth.’ The task force aims to determine if these companies are part of a criminal conspiracy by helping individuals misrepresent their intentions on immigration or visa documents.
The State Department prohibits visitor visas for those whose primary aim is to give birth in the U.S. Since at least 2025, authorities have increased scrutiny on this issue. A notable instance occurred in July when a billboard in Mission, Texas, advertised birthing services at a local medical center. This billboard promoted services priced at $3,950 for births and $5,525 for Caesarean sections, reflecting a broader concern.
The task force’s investigation includes companies across the nation, with records requested from businesses in various states. ‘This is an abuse of the U.S. immigration system,’ Gill stated, arguing that birthright citizenship was intended for other contexts, particularly when the Fourteenth Amendment was established in 1868.
In a related move, Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., proposed legislation to address this issue, citing historical legal cases that limit citizenship rights in invasion scenarios. Gill supported the need for legal clarity, asserting, ‘Our children’s birthright shouldn’t be jeopardized because of foreigners having babies in our country.’
The Mission Regional Medical Center clarified its position, noting no intention of promoting illegal activities. A spokesperson explained that a discontinued marketing campaign was misconstrued and stressed the hospital’s compliance with the law.
Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., echoed these concerns, highlighting that birth tourism exploits U.S. immigration law. In 2025, the Supreme Court unanimously struck down Trump’s birthright citizenship order, with Justice Brett Kavanaugh suggesting that Congress could legislate on the issue. Lawmakers, including Gill and Banks, are pursuing such a legislative route.