The Department of Justice (DOJ) is now directing federal prosecutors across the United States to launch investigations and prosecutions of birth tourism schemes, making the case that the practice abuses the U.S. immigration system and oftentimes involves visa fraud and other federal crimes. The orders were part of a memo sent out on June 30, 2026, by Deputy Attorney General Colin McDonald.
McDonald made it clear in the memo that he expects prosecutors all over America to partner up with the Department of Homeland Security to make cases involving birth tourism. Officials revealed that foreign nationals are lying on their visa applications and intentionally misleading border security agents about their reason for traveling to the U.S. in order to give birth to their children on American soil to secure citizenship for their kids.
Later, when the children are adults, they can then sponsor their parents to come into the country. However, prosecutors are looking for more than just visa fraud. McDonald also ordered them to go looking after these networks for bigger charges, should the evidence point in that direction, including money laundering, identity theft, and wire or health care fraud.
According to a report from Breitbart News, the memo points to several recent prosecutions. In 2024, Michael Wei Yueh Liu and Jing Dong were both slapped with a 41-month prison sentences. The pair ran a birth tourism company in California called “USA Happy Baby Inc.,” which specialized in helping Chinese clientele secure fake visas, conceal their pregnancies from border patrol agents, and set up housing on American soil.
McDonald’s orders also highlighted a case from 2022 in New York. Ibrahim Aksakal received a sentence of 27 months in prison for running a birth tourism ring that focused on Turkish speakers. Prosecutors on the case said that his operation provided pregnant women with a script to help them slip by immigration officials. Along with prison time, Aksakal also handed over almost $400,000 and paid more than a million dollars in restitution.
Another case included in the memo dated back to 2020 and involved a man named Chao “Edwin” Chen. He received a sentence of three years behind bars for being the mastermind behind a huge birth tourism business called “You Win USA.” The DOJ stated that Chen was charging his clients anywhere from $40,000 to $80,000 and provided them with coaching to help them lie to officials about the reason for their visit.
McDonald then said that the DOJ will continue to pursue individuals who participate in these schemes and the folks who put them together and earn a hefty profit from them. The Executive Office for United States Attorneys will also provide additional guidance and resources to help prosecutors across the U.S. identify and handle cases related to birth tourism.
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A person commented on the story, saying, “Considering the Supreme Court’s ridiculous decision on birthright citizenship today, you’d think the House, Senate, and the states would be rallying to change the Constitution…but no, the left won’t lift a finger to correct birthright insanity. Heck, we can’t even get the liberals to rally behind the Save Act.”