The U.S. State Department says it has disrupted several international birth tourism networks that helped foreign nationals travel to the United States to give birth so their children could obtain American citizenship.
According to State Department officials, investigators uncovered organized operations in Africa and Europe that coached visa applicants, arranged housing in the United States, and coordinated medical care and delivery plans for expectant mothers.
The department said it revoked hundreds of visas linked to the schemes. In West Africa, officials identified a network involving more than 100 individuals. Another network in North Africa was tied to more than 100 parents. In Europe, investigators traced more than 400 suspected birth tourism cases since 2024 to at least six companies.
Speaking in an interview with Fox News, Principal Deputy State Department Spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the issue spans multiple regions and is not limited to any single country.
“These are networks that are essentially trying to sell citizenship to the United States as if it was a commodity,” Pigott said.
READ: US expands crackdown on birth tourism networks, revokes hundreds of visas (
The issue gained wider attention after conservative commentator Eric Daugherty shared a clip of the Fox News interview on X. In his post, Daugherty wrote: “Marco Rubio’s State Department just carried out a MASSIVE birthright citizenship scam bust in Africa and Europe. Visas are now being REVOKED, and the birth scams are being shut down.” He added that “The Supreme Court should do the right thing, step in and END it once and for all,” describing birth tourism as “an entire INDUSTRY entirely based upon defrauding America.”
According to the State Department, some of the companies allegedly instructed applicants on how to answer questions during U.S. visa interviews and helped arrange accommodations and childbirth-related services after their arrival in the United States.
The crackdown is part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to strengthen visa screening and combat fraud within the immigration system.
In a statement, the State Department said, “A U.S. visa is a privilege. It is not a right.” The department added that it is taking action worldwide “to stop this abuse, to dismantle birth tourism networks and hold accountable those who try to scam our system.”
Pigott said the networks place pressure on public resources while attempting to exploit U.S. immigration and citizenship laws. He described the practice as a global problem that authorities are working to address through visa enforcement and international investigations.
The latest actions have drawn support from immigration enforcement advocates, who argue that targeting organized fraud networks is a more effective approach than imposing broader restrictions on travelers.