The US government is doubling down on immigration control, with the State Department revoking more than 6,000 visas belonging to foreigners engaged in or facilitating birth tourism.
The department announced the figure on Thursday through its X handle. It said its Birth Tourism Prevention Task Force had revoked the visas of foreigners who engaged in or facilitated the practice, and is “holding accountable everyone involved.” That suggests more revocations are likely.
What the State Department Said
The new tally is up from more than 4,000 revocations announced on 31 October. In that October update, more than 700 of the visas belonged to Chinese nationals. The latest statement gave no breakdown by nationality, so it is unclear whether Nigerians were among those affected.
Birth tourism refers to travelling to another country, usually while pregnant, to give birth so the child can acquire that country’s citizenship or nationality by birth.
How the Birth Tourism Prevention Task Force Began
The department set up the task force on 12 August. It aims to investigate visa holders, identify those involved and dismantle networks that allegedly profit from arranging such trips. By the time it launched, it had already revoked more than 600 visas globally. On 23 September, Secretary of State Marco Rubio also announced visa restrictions on people who knowingly engage in or facilitate birth tourism, plus an online tip portal for visa fraud.
The latest action signals a wider crackdown on both participants and facilitators, including those who help arrange such travel. A revocation, however, does not by itself establish that someone was deported or convicted of a crime.
The Rules Behind the Crackdown
Under State Department rules, travel with the primary purpose of obtaining US citizenship for a child by giving birth in the US is an impermissible basis for a B visa. That rule did not change how US citizenship is acquired. The enforcement drive targets visa eligibility, not the citizenship of children born on US soil.
The Wider Immigration Picture
A crackdown on immigration has been a core aspect of President Donald Trump’s “America first” policy and campaigns. During those campaigns, he pledged to increase deportations, restrict asylum and refugee admissions, and tighten both illegal and some legal immigration pathways.
Since resuming office, Mr Trump has moved on that agenda. At his inauguration, he signed an executive order declaring a national emergency over illegal immigration and ordered the speedy deportation of undocumented migrants. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s crackdown on migrants has been criticised in the past year for human rights violations.
What the Birth Tourism Drive Means for Nigerians
The administration has also imposed visa bans on several countries, including Nigeria. Nigeria is affected by Presidential Proclamation 10998, which restricted several categories of US visas issued to Nigerians.
A further policy has since taken effect. A DHS memorandum of 21 May 2026 means that foreign nationals seeking adjustment of status must now process residency applications through US consular offices abroad. The agency said temporary visitors who want a green card must return home to apply, except in extraordinary circumstances. That could leave Nigerians already in the US with a far narrower path to permanent residency.
