America News Agency

The U.S. Department of State announced the establishment of the Birth Tourism Prevention Task Force as part of efforts to combat birth tourism.

In a fact sheet issued by the Department, it was stated that under the leadership of President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, efforts are underway to protect the integrity of U.S. citizenship, ensure that nonimmigrant visas are used only lawfully and for their intended purposes, and prevent abuse through birth tourism.

The task force will review the activities of visa holders worldwide to identify cases of birth tourism, take action to revoke the visas of individuals who participate in or facilitate such activities, and work to dismantle networks that profit from birth tourism.

The statement said the task force combats birth tourism by analyzing information held by the Department of State and other federal agencies, particularly the Department of Homeland Security. The Department announced that, as part of the task force's work, action has been taken to revoke more than 600 visas held by foreign nationals worldwide.

The Department also said birth tourism has become a profit-driven industry, noting that some intermediary networks present themselves as doulas, midwives or healthcare advocates and offer services such as giving birth in the United States, visa consulting and hospital arrangements.

The statement said some individuals use various methods to conceal the purpose of their travel, falsify medical documents and mislead authorities about the purpose of their entry into the United States.

The Department stated that foreign nationals who intentionally misrepresent the purpose of their travel or entry into the United States may be deemed permanently ineligible for a U.S. visa or admission to the country.

The statement also provided examples of individuals whose visas were revoked after they were found to have traveled to the United States for birth tourism. The Department said foreign nationals who abuse immigration laws, as well as those who assist them, may lose their visas, access to the United States and the ability to travel to the country in the future.