Having a baby in the U.S. was once a way for some Chinese people to pursue the American Dream – by giving their children U.S. citizenship through birth on American soil, thus providing them opportunities to receive U.S. education, enjoy local medical services, and benefit from social welfare. However, recently, the U.S. Embassy in China released an announcement stating that it will fully reject visa applications from foreign tourists whose main purpose is to have a baby in the U.S., in order to prevent abuse of the immigration system and protect local interests.

The U.S. Embassy in China recently announced on the X platform that U.S. consular officials are stepping up efforts to prevent "birth tourism," where foreign visitors specifically travel to the U.S. to give birth and obtain citizenship for their children.

The announcement stated that if a visa applicant's primary purpose is to have a baby in the U.S., consular officials will directly refuse their tourist visa application based on U.S. immigration law.

This announcement also included a转发 from the official account of the U.S. Consulate General in China, @TravelGov, emphasizing the U.S. Department of State notification: Some foreign parents apply for tourist visas with the intention of having their child born in the U.S. to gain U.S. citizenship. This behavior is unacceptable and may result in American taxpayers paying for their medical expenses.

The announcement clearly warned: "Abuse of the U.S. immigration system will not only result in rejection but may also lead to the applicant losing eligibility for future U.S. visas."

In fact, according to the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, anyone born in the United States automatically becomes a U.S. citizen. This system has long been considered "birthright citizenship" (Birthright Citizenship), forming the legal basis for the "having a baby in the U.S." phenomenon.

In the second half of the 20th century, Taiwan and Hong Kong first sparked the "having a baby in the U.S." trend. In the 21st century, as the U.S. gradually relaxed its travel visa policy for mainland Chinese residents, coupled with improved economic strength and a strong desire for American education and medical resources among mainland residents, having a baby in the U.S. quickly gained popularity in mainland China.

The popular movie "Beijing Meets Seattle," starring Tang Wei, vividly portrays the true story of a Chinese mother having a baby in the U.S., further drawing public attention.

In Southern California, particularly Los Angeles, with the growth of the Chinese community, having a baby in the U.S. has developed into a complete industrial chain. Numerous "maternity centers" provide accommodation, medical services, transportation, and postpartum care for pregnant women traveling from abroad, forming a large-scale gray economy. However, this model of birth tourism has always operated on the fringes of the law, and U.S. enforcement agencies have also launched large-scale crackdowns on major maternity centers in the Chinese community in Los Angeles.

President Trump, after reassuming office at the beginning of 2025, once again made "limiting birthright citizenship" a key issue. He signed an executive order attempting to revoke automatic citizenship for children born in the U.S. to non-U.S. citizens, sparking legal challenges in multiple states across the U.S.

On April 17, the U.S. Supreme Court officially announced that it would review President Trump's executive order on limiting birthright citizenship and plans to hold oral arguments in a special court session on May 15. The final judgment in this case could completely change the interpretation of the U.S. Constitution and bring far-reaching impacts to "having a baby in the U.S." and the overall immigration system.

Currently, the new refusal policy issued by the U.S. Embassy in China means that the path for Chinese groups to have babies in the U.S. through tourist visas will face stricter scrutiny and even be completely blocked. A special phenomenon accompanying multiple generations of Chinese immigrants may gradually come to an end.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7498496573551231488/

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