AUSTIN, Texas: Governor Greg Abbott’s Texas birth tourism order authorised investigations into healthcare providers suspected of helping foreign visitors travel to the United States. The primary purpose for these visitors was to secure citizenship for their children.
Abbott issued Executive Order GA-57 on July 21. The directive assigns investigations to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. It also includes the Department of State Health Services, the Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Texas Medical Board, the Texas Board of Nursing, and the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
State regulators may suspend or revoke licences, exclude entities from state contracts, deny state benefits or pursue other action. This happens where they determine that a regulated person or organisation participated in an unlawful scheme. Furthermore, agencies may also share information with federal prosecutors about possible federal violations.
The order expands an investigation Abbott launched on July 7 into Mission Regional Medical Centre over maternity packages allegedly advertised to foreign nationals. Later, Texas officials referred allegations involving two hospitals to the state attorney general for review. At the end, the finding of wrongdoing was announced with the referral.
The action does not overturn birthright citizenship. In Trump v. Barbara, the US Supreme Court ruled on June 30 that children born in the United States to parents who are unlawfully or temporarily present remain citizens at birth under the Fourteenth Amendment.
Read: Trump Birthright Citizenship Case Reaches Supreme Court
Federal visa rules nevertheless prohibit travel on a visitor visa when the applicant’s primary purpose is to give birth in the United States to obtain citizenship for the child. Additionally, consular officers may refuse applications where they have reason to believe that the main purpose of travel is.
The Texas order does not name Pakistan, India, Bangladesh or any other nationality. Pakistani visitors, like other foreign nationals, remain subject to existing federal visa and entry requirements. This applies rather than a separate nationality-based restriction under GA-57.
