Rubio Announces Visa Restrictions Targeting Birth Tourism

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a visa-restriction policy targeting people who knowingly participate in or facilitate birth tourism, including operators of commercial networks and intermediaries who coach visa applicants to commit fraud. The State Department also announced an online portal for public reports of suspected visa fraud, though it did not provide a breakdown of cases identified through tips or actions taken. The restrictions are being introduced under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, according to the department. Rubio said they could apply to people who currently engage in, previously engaged in or facilitate birth tourism. The policy identifies owners, operators and managers of commercial birth-tourism networks, as well as visa-fraud intermediaries. The department also said certain foreign medical providers and, potentially, some family members could be covered. The department has not specified which relatives might be affected or the circumstances in which the family-member provision would apply.