Rep. Tim Burchett has warned that wealthy Chinese nationals could use U.S. surrogacy arrangements to have children born as American citizens, calling the practice part of a long-term effort to gain influence in the United States.
“This is the way they’re gonna infiltrate. It’s a long-term plan,” Burchett said, predicting that some of the children could attend American colleges, return to China and later come back to the U.S. as citizens.
“You won’t think anything of it until it’s your kid or it’s you who loses that spot in college or that job.”
Fox News reported that surrogacy is banned in China and that babies born in the U.S. generally receive American citizenship.
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The comments come shortly after a U.S. surrogate said she entered an agreement to carry a child without knowing she was connected to Chinese billionaire Xu Bo. Xu is a businessman who has previously been the subject of reports about fathering a large number of children through surrogacy arrangements.
The surrogate, identified by CBS News as “Judy” to protect her privacy, said she found a surrogacy advertisement on Instagram offering $120,000. As a single mother to a 7-year-old, she viewed the opportunity as a way to improve her financial situation.
“I wanted to build a better life for me and my daughter,” she said.
Judy later learned that the intended father had hired multiple surrogates at the same time. She told CBS News that the information raised questions about the transparency of the process and whether surrogates receive sufficient information before agreeing to carry a child.
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Previous reports have mentioned cases involving Xu seeking parental rights to at least four unborn children. During a confidential hearing, Xu, who is a maker of fantasy video games, did not appear in person and instead participated by video from China. He said he hoped to have about 20 U.S.-born children who could eventually take over his business.
Nathan Zhang, CEO of IVF USA, has previously spoken about wealthy Chinese nationals using American surrogates. He said that while some earlier clients sought to circumvent China’s former one-child policy, wealthier parents now aim to commission dozens or even hundreds of U.S.-born children, with the goal of “forging an unstoppable family dynasty.”
Zhang added that Elon Musk is viewed as a “role model now,” referring to the Tesla CEO’s publicly reported large family.
The practice has also reportedly drawn criticism in China, where commercial surrogacy is illegal.