The United States wants to prevent foreigners from immigrating to their children through their U.S. citizenship.

The government of US President Donald Trump wants to make it more difficult for pregnant women to enter the United States. As of now, pregnant women are no longer issued visitor visas if they plan to give birth to a child in the United States, according to a new U.S. Department of State regulation. The new regulation should prevent the child's US citizenship from being misused for their own immigration, the White House said.

"The integrity of American citizenship must be protected," it said. Short-term visitors without a connection to the United States are a security risk if they come to the country to give birth to their children.

Unlike in Germany, children born in the United States have so far automatically obtained American citizenship. Parents can join the country after a certain period of time. The ministry spoke of a "birth tourism industry" that companies abroad were promoting the benefits of US citizenship through child birth in the US. The State Department is aware of cases where companies have charged $ 100,000 for such services.

 

Discrimination feared

According to the New York Times, the new regulations are aimed primarily at wealthy immigrants - especially from China and Russia. However, the US government has also rejected pregnant women from Mexico on the US border in the course of a tough crackdown on immigration.

The basis on which US consulate officials should decide whether women want to travel to the United States primarily for the birth of their child is unclear. U.S. Consulate officials are not allowed to ask during the interview for a visa whether a woman is pregnant or planning to become pregnant.