Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced that the Department of Justice will prioritize prosecutions of birth‑tourism schemes that involve visa fraud.
The announcement follows a recent Supreme Court decision that struck down an executive order aimed at altering birthright citizenship, underscoring the administration’s continued focus on the issue.
A department‑wide memo from Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald directed every U.S. Attorney’s office to coordinate with the Department of Homeland Security on investigations and prosecutions.
Prosecutors may pursue charges such as visa fraud, money laundering, identity theft, and wire fraud against foreign nationals who enter the United States under false pretenses to secure citizenship for their newborns.
The memo notes that many schemes begin with misrepresentations on visa applications regarding purpose and length of stay, conduct that has long been illegal.
While past efforts concentrated on visa fraud alone, the new directive emphasizes using the full range of criminal statutes when evidence supports broader charges.
The initiative builds on the DHS Birth Tourism Initiative launched in April, reflecting a broader enforcement strategy targeting immigration law violations.
Blanche described birth tourism as a “booming industry” and affirmed that the DOJ will work alongside federal law‑enforcement partners, including HSI and the FBI, to disrupt the practice.
He emphasized that the Supreme Court ruling limits executive actions on birthright citizenship, but existing visa‑application tools remain available to deter fraudulent entries.
According to Blanche, individuals who travel to the United States primarily to obtain citizenship for their children violate federal law, and prosecutors have been instructed to prioritize those cases.
The Department of Justice pledged ongoing coordination with federal agencies to focus resources on preventing and prosecuting birth tourism. The effort aims to safeguard the integrity of U.S. citizenship and immigration processes.
