Traveling to the United States on a tourist visa after previously giving birth in the country may now result in increased scrutiny when attempting to enter the country again.

In recent weeks, reports have emerged of women who say U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers revoked their visas at different ports of entry after questioning them about so-called “birth tourism.”

One of the cases recently reported occurred in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley. According to KRGV, two women said their tourist visas were revoked after CBP officers questioned them about their children born in the United States. One of the women said a CBP officer at the Progreso port of entry told her that agents had been instructed to revoke the tourist visas of people suspected of traveling to the United States for the purpose of giving birth so their children could obtain U.S. citizenship.

The Department of Homeland Security, however, did not directly confirm to the news outlet that there is a blanket order to cancel the visas of everyone who has had children in the United States. A DHS spokesperson referred questions to recent statements by Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. 

What does the U.S. government officially say?

The U.S. Department of State has stated since January 2020 that so-called birth tourism is not a permissible purpose for obtaining a B-1/B-2 visitor visa when the primary purpose of the trip is to give birth in the United States so that the child can obtain U.S. citizenship. 

CBP, however, clarifies that being pregnant does not, by itself, automatically bar someone from entering the United States. Officers may consider factors such as the expected delivery date, the length of the intended stay, whether the traveler has sufficient medical insurance to cover potential medical expenses, and whether the traveler intends to return to their home country.

That distinction is important: having a child in the United States does not automatically mean a person has violated immigration law. The issue arises when authorities determine that the primary purpose of a tourist-visa trip was to give birth so the child could obtain U.S. citizenship, or when there are indications of fraud or misrepresentation regarding the purpose of the trip.

More than 100 visas revoked in one investigation

The crackdown is not limited to ports of entry. In June, the State Department announced actions against international networks involved in birth tourism and reported hundreds of visa revocations connected to investigations in Africa, Europe and North Africa.

The department said some networks used fraudulent documents, intermediaries and other forms of assistance to help applicants obtain visitor visas while concealing the true purpose of their trips. In one case cited by U.S. authorities, a U.S. embassy in North Africa revoked more than 100 visas belonging to parents identified as having traveled primarily to give birth and obtain citizenship benefits for their children.

The U.S. government has therefore intensified a policy that has existed since 2020, giving it greater prominence in the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts in 2026.

Ports of entry have the authority to take action

Federal law allows visas to be revoked and, under certain circumstances, permits an immigration official to physically cancel a visa at a port of entry. Federal regulations also make clear that holding a valid visa does not automatically guarantee admission to the United States. Admission is determined when the traveler is inspected by CBP.

As a result, a visa stamped in a passport is not an absolute guarantee of entry into the United States.

🚨 ¡ÚLTIMA HORA! El presidente Trump acaba de firmar una orden ejecutiva CONTUNDENTE que PROHÍBE el “turismo de partos” en Estados Unidos 🇺🇸

Stephen Miller lo dejó claro:

“A partir de la firma de esta orden, el turismo de partos queda TOTALMENTE PROHIBIDO. Nadie en el mundo… pic.twitter.com/UPzYTXfhxL

— Yero (@Yerocode0) August 6, 2026

What does this mean for people crossing from Mexico?

For Mexican travelers who use ports of entry in California, Arizona and Texas, the issue is particularly significant because of the large number of binational families and border residents who regularly travel to the United States.

So far, there is no public confirmation from CBP that every woman who has given birth in the United States will automatically lose her visa. Instead, reported cases indicate that some travelers are facing increased scrutiny and that visas may be revoked when authorities determine that a traveler’s history or the circumstances surrounding the trip warrant such action.

Travelers are advised to answer officers’ questions truthfully and, when appropriate, have documentation showing the legitimate purpose of their trip and their ability to cover their expenses.

 
The message from U.S. authorities is clear: a tourist visa cannot be used to enter the country when the primary purpose of the trip is to obtain U.S. citizenship for a child by giving birth in the United States. 

As enforcement increases, questions remain about how far the heightened scrutiny at ports of entry will go and how it will affect families who regularly travel between Mexico and the United States without having participated in organized birth-tourism schemes.