U.S. Police Raid Los Angeles ‘Birth Hotels’ For Chinese Tourists

Federal agents searched three dozen homes Tuesday in California during a crackdown on so-called maternity tourism operators who arrange for pregnant Chinese women to give birth in the U.S., where their babies automatically become American citizens. The investigation of three alleged birth tourism rings may be the biggest yet by federal homeland security agents who say that, while pregnant women may travel to the United States and deliver their babies here, they cannot lie about the purpose of their trip when applying for a visa.

It is fertile ground for this kind of scheme. These people were told to lie, how to lie, so that their motives for coming to the U.S. wouldn’t be questioned.

Claude Arnold, special agent in charge for Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s homeland security investigations in Los Angeles.

Authorities believe people from other countries are carrying out similar schemes but recent cases in California have catered to wealthy visitors from China, most likely due to the country’s large population, recent economic boom and ties to the region. It is unclear how many women travel to the United States for maternity tourism. Investigators said women were coached to lie about their travel plans when applying for tourist visas and wear loose clothing to hide their pregnancies, and they were promised Social Security numbers and U.S. passports for their babies before returning to China.