New Restrictions Are Coming for Pregnant Women Traveling to the US

The new measure is somewhat controversial, as consular officers aren’t allowed to ask about a woman’s pregnancy or plan to become pregnant during visa interviews. Therefore, it’s unclear how officers would determine whether or not a woman is coming to the US to give birth. It is also unclear how border agents will determine if a woman is pregnant or not when going through customs.

It’s undisputable, though, that birth tourism has become a major US industry, with some companies promoting hotel rooms and medical care specifically for expectant foreign mothers — many of whom come from Russia and China, according to AP News.

Birthright citizenship, in which a person who is born in the US automatically becomes a citizen regardless of their parents’ status, is inscribed in the US Constitution.