Ban Birth Tourism Act

The Ban Birth Tourism Act would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to add a new ground of inadmissibility for certain noncitizen entrants. Specifically, it would prohibit admission for aliens seeking to enter the United States as a nonimmigrant under the B visa category (section 101(a)(15)(B)) if their primary purpose is to obtain U.S. citizenship for a child by giving birth in the United States. There is a built-in protection that allows for legitimate medical care related to childbirth if obtaining citizenship is not the primary aim. In short, the bill targets what lawmakers describe as birth tourism by denying entry to those whose main goal is to secure citizenship for a baby born in the U.S., while preserving access for individuals seeking genuine medical treatment.