Birth Tourism: Giving Birth in the U.S. to Get Citizenship
There’s a new trend among pregnant women in China that’s sure to have right-wing pundits in the U.S. enraged. Chinese women of influence and affluence are coming to the U.S. to give birth so that their offspring will be American citizens.
The Washington Post reported Sunday that “birth tourism” is legal, if unethical, since the women who take part are forced to lie about the purpose of their visit to the states. For Chinese mothers who can afford it, compromising the truth and $1500 are all it takes to give their children the promise of the American Dream. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the number of U.S. births to non-resident mothers rose 53 percent between 2000 and 2006; 7,670 children were born in the U.S. in 2006 to non-resident mothers.
One couple facilitating Chinese birth tourism, identified by the Post as Zhou and Chao, connect “expectant mothers with one of three Chinese-owned baby care centers in California. For the $1,475 basic fee, Zhou and Chao will arrange for a three-month stay in a center — two months before the birth and a month after.” And if delivering a baby isn’t enough for the intrepid tourist, there are shopping and sightseeing trips planned as part of the deal. Zhou claims his well-heeled clients “are contributing to the economy” by spending their money on U.S. soil.
Zhou insists his business is on the up-and-up, and says, “We don’t encourage moms to break the law — just to take advantage of it.” Women who wish to travel to the U.S. to give birth must secure a tourist visa, and an anonymous official at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing confirmed embassy rules dictate that “you don’t deny someone because you know they’re going to the U.S. to have children.”
Birth tourists are flocking to the U.S., and not only from China. ABC News reported about a Turkish-owned Upper East Side luxury hotel, The Marmara Manhattan, that “markets birth tourism packages to expectant mothers abroad, luring more than a dozen pregnant guests and their families to the United States to give birth last year alone.” A hotel spokeswoman confirmed that for less than $8,000, pregnant guests receive an airport transfer to a one-bedroom suite where they stay for a month, the room replete with “baby cradle and a gift set for the mother.”
Those that would argue against open immigration policies fear that foreign women come to the United States to have “anchor babies,” a controversial term referring to children born of illegal immigrants, in the hopes of remaining on U.S. soil. Mark Krikorian of the Center for Immigration Studies, a self-described “Pro-immigrant, low-immigration think-tank which seeks fewer immigrants but a warmer welcome for those admitted,” suggests the U.S. “just turn people down for being pregnant.” In an interview with ABC News, he continued, “Do you really think that’s right that somebody here visiting Disneyland should have their children be U.S. citizens, which they’ll then inevitably use to get access to the U.S.?”
According to Zhou, most of his clients have no plans to stay in the U.S. – they simply want their children to be able to attend college here.
The U.S. is home to 11 of the top 15 Universities in the world, according to the QS World University Rankings, and in China, “10 million students are battling for 6.6 million spots at Chinese universities and the chance for a better life,” as Zhou pointed out. With U.S. citizenship, these Chinese children won’t need to apply for student visas or pay the hefty tuition rates charged to international students. Not a bad deal for $1500. But should it be allowed?
According to ABC News, “The United States is one of the few remaining countries to grant citizenship to all children born on its soil. The United Kingdom, Ireland, India and Australia, among others, have since revised their birthright laws, no longer allowing every child born on their soil to get citizenship.” It might be possible to outlaw birth tourism without completely abandoning the 14th Amendment, granting citizenship to those born on U.S. soil. Is it necessary? What do you think?
With the exception of Native Americans, every one of us has an “anchor baby” ancestor.
Comments The American Indian “anchor baby” comment is faulty. Our ancestors stood in line, awaited their turn and then entered by the front door. This is sneaking in the open basement window.Further, the intent is to defraud- short circuit the legal system. Use your wealth to receive special privileges. Certainly the “bleeding heart” liberals don’t espouse this, do they?
@ K, your comment is irrelevant and, if true, doesn’t excuse the blatant disregard of US hospitality. It is likely, that the more people take advantage of our hospitality the more likely it will become more difficult to come here on a tourist visa. Also, what gives China the right to take our children’s spots in our schools? Our children need to be educated and every child from china admitted to our schools takes a seat away from a US child.
How can you say that your ancestor stood in line? If by “line”, you mean, storming in with guns and fists, then, yes, that is what happened. No one is sneaking in anything, they are proudly walking in with a big belly, and dumping their baby on the US soil. Sneaking is only required when a “catcher” is involved.
i have no intension of ever being an american citizen, but for my kids i want them to be able to have the best of education which is affordable. i know why some might be angry at the idea, but you have the greatest country in the world and we just want our kids to have the same freedom that your kids have. i do not want them to grow up in war and fighting, only by learning from the best can they make a difference in here for us. And America is the example we need.
This has been going on for years. I’m 30 years old and grew up in the Caribbean. A full half of my class in high school had American or Canadian citizenship. Some, like me, were born in North America while their parents were working or studying there but quite a few had mothers who simply moved in with relatives resident in the States for 6 mths so as to ensure the child got citizenship. As the article indicates, it’s mostly to avoid international fees and the need for a tourist visa when the child wants to study. It’s not lying. As far as I know, the application for a visa asks whether the visit is intended for business or pleasure. It’s certainly not business. As immigrants go, I think you could do worse than people who value education so highly.
sorry- should be “the need for a student visa”
I really think people are unfair to the American citizens. A lot of families that are Citizens of the United States have had families member who came here in the very being of this country and worked hard to make the U.S. the country it is . They did it with sweat , tears , and death. They even gave their lives for this country. Their children and their children’s children do the same. So what gives the foreigners the right to come and give birth in this country just to get citizenship. Other parent and their parents worked hard to earn that Citizenship for their families.THIS IS NOT RIGHT IN ANY OTHER COUNTRY TO JUST COME HERE TO HAVE A BABY FOR CITIZENSHIP ONLY. IN MY OPINION THIS IS DISRESPECTFUL TO MY ANCESTORS ,WHO DIED FOR THEIR COUNTRY. PLEASE STOP THIS DISGRACE OF OUR ANCESTORS AND OUR COUNTRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!